Business Leadership Series

Episode 1463: How To Be Free

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

NYT bestselling author Shaka Senghor talks with Derek Champagne about his personal story and his powerful new book, How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons.

"I love this book—because it teaches you how to manifest freedom in your own life and how that work allows you to rise to your greatest glory." —Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Podcast

After 19 years in prison—7 of them in solitary—Shaka emerged not just with a story, but with a methodology. In this book, he distills the inner work that helped him survive, heal, and grow into practical tools that anyone can apply to their own life.

Because not all prisons have bars. We all live inside systems, stories, and cycles that can hold us back—doubt, fear, disconnection. And for men in particular, a flawed definition of manhood—emotional suppression, isolation, performative strength—can quietly destroy us. Shaka challenges that directly and offers a radically honest path to healing, self-trust, and real leadership.

Each chapter blends hard-won wisdom with actionable steps (including “Keys to” sections at the end of each chapter that offer concrete, practical guidance), perfect for readers hungry for a path that’s real, not performative. Shaka’s work has been praised by figures ranging from Oprah to Ben Horowitz, and he’s regularly sought after by CEOs and changemakers for his insights on leadership, trust, and mindset.

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1462: The Resilience Mindset

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Terry Healey, author of The Resilience Mindset: How Adversity Can Strengthen, Individuals, Teams, & Leaders.

A survivor of a permanent facial difference and life-threatening cancer, Terry Healey is an
author, keynote speaker, and business strategist. Healey challenges audiences to face their
adversities and apply his framework of four key principles to gain confidence, build resilience,
and find joy in their personal and professional lives.

Having endured more than thirty surgical procedures to reconstruct his face while in his early
twenties, Healey discovered tools that could help him transform his changed life. He shares
ways to take control, overcome challenges, build trust and teams, embrace change, and learn
the value of acceptance and tolerance. He views the lessons he learned as gifts, and believes
his greatest reward is being able to teach others how to overcome any kind of adversity and
celebrate life.

His experience led him to a successful thirty-five-year career as a high-tech sales and marketing
executive, including being on the founding team of a company that had a successful initial
public offering. His popular programs are presented to healthcare organizations, corporations,
educational institutions, associations, and nonprofits nationwide. They include Cisco Systems,
Inc., Charles Schwab, the University of California Berkeley football team, Santa Clara University,
Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Genomic Health, Perkin Elmer, Stanford University, UC San Francisco,
Kaiser Permanente, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Greater Baltimore Medical Center,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and many others.

A graduate of UC Berkeley, Healey is the author of The Resilience Mindset: How Adversity Can
Strengthen Individuals, Teams, and Leaders [September 2025], and his previous title, At Face
Value: My Triumph over a Disfiguring Cancer, and is a contributing author to Open My Eyes,
Open My Soul: Celebrating Our Common Humanity; Make Your Own Miracle: Surviving
Cancer, an Anthology; and Reading Lips and Other Ways to Overcome a Disability.

His work has appeared in Psychology Today, Metro UK, The San Francisco Chronicle,
Guideposts, NurseWeek, U.S. News and World Report, Sales and Marketing Magazine, Coping
and CURE Today. He has appeared on dozens of national and local TV networks and has been
interviewed on more than seventy-five radio stations across the U.S. and Canada.

Order a copy of The Resiliance Mindset here: https://terryhealey.com/product/the-resilience-mindset/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1461: CMO of the Atlanta Hawks

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek talks with Melissa Proctor, Executive Vice President & CMO of the Atlanta Hawks. Melissa, the author of the book “From Ball Girl to CMO”, shares her inspiring personal story and recipes for ongoing success.

Biography
Melissa Proctor began her NBA experience in highschool as the first ball girl for the Miami Heat. After highschool, she attended Wake Forest University where she got her Bachelor’s degree in communications and her masters degree in design studies/branding from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design at The London Institute. After obtaining her degree, she went on to work for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. serving in senior brand development and strategy leadership positions. Proctor was with Turner for 9 years before moving on to the Atlanta Hawks as VP of brand strategy. She quickly made her way up and is now the executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Order Melissa’s new book here: https://melissamproctor.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1460: From Refugee to Wall Street

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne interviews Quang X. Pham.

Quang is a biotech executive, war veteran, author, speaker, and community leader with a remarkable journey shaped by resilience, service, and entrepreneurship. He made history as the first Vietnamese American to earn naval aviator wings in the Marine Corps and lead an initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq.

His inspiring American underdog journey, told in first person, is unlike any other. Born in Saigon, South Vietnam, Quang and his family fled as refugees when he was 10, while his father, a Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilot,

remained and was imprisoned for more than a decade.

After earning a degree from UCLA, Quang served seven years on active duty, flying CH-46 helicopters in the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, and the Reserves. Following his military career, Quang transitioned into business, founding multiple pharmaceutical companies. In 2000, he launched MyDrugRep.com (which became Lathian

Systems), an innovative online platform for physician marketing engagements, which was later acquired. In 2015, he founded Espero Pharmaceuticals and Jacksonville Pharmaceuticals. His leadership and entrepreneurial success earned him the Florida EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2018. Today Quang serves as Chairman and CEO, Cadrenal Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CVKD).

Quang is also the author of the award-winning father-son memoir, A Sense of Duty: Our Journey from Vietnam (Penguin Random House), and his new book, Underdog Nation: Zero In on Effort and Results for Success (Forbes Books).Committed to giving back, Quang has served on the boards of private companies, veteran

charities and educational organizations. He lives in Florida with his family, continuing to

lead and inspire.

Order Quang's new book here: https://quangxpham.com/books/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1459: Building an A-Team

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Derek's guest this week is Whitney Johnson: Innovation and disruption theorist, keynote speaker, best-selling author, executive and performance coach.

Whitney shares her unique journey and key concepts about how to motivate your employees from her book "Build an A Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve".

Whitney Johnson was named one of the world's fifty most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50 in 2017.

She is the author of the bestselling Build an A Team (Harvard Business Press, 2018), a Financial Times and CEO Read, Book of the Month, and the critically-acclaimed Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work (2015). Publisher's Weekly described it as "savvy...often counter-intuitive...superb" while the Boston Globe called it the "'What Color is Your Parachute?' career guide for the entrepreneurial age."

Through writing, speaking, consulting and coaching, Whitney works with leaders to retain their top talent, to build an A team, and to help them earn the gold star–be a boss people love.

She formerly was the co-founder of the Disruptive Innovation Fund with Harvard's Clayton Christensen, where they invested in and led the $8 million seed round for Korea’s Coupang, currently valued at $5+ billion. She was involved in fund formation, capital raising, and the development of the fund’s strategy. During her tenure, the CAGR of the Fund was 11.98% v. 1.22% for the S&P 500.

She is also formerly an award-winning Wall Street analyst. She was an Institutional Investor-ranked equity research analyst for eight consecutive years, and was rated by Starmine as a superior stock-picker. As an equity analyst, stocks under coverage included America Movil (NYSE: AMX), Televisa (NYSE: TV) and Telmex (NYSE: TMX), which accounted for roughly 40% of Mexico's market capitalization.

Whitney is a frequent contributor for the Harvard Business Review, she has over 1.5 million followers on Linkedin, was named one of LinkedIn's Top Voices in the Influencer category for 2018, and her LinkedIn course The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship has 1 million+ views.

She is a member of the original cohort of Marshall Goldsmith's #100 coaches.

Learn more at https://whitneyjohnson.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1458: NY Times Best Selling Author Rich Horwath

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Rich Horwath.

Chief Executive Magazine describes Rich as "The world’s foremost expert on strategic thinking.” Rich has been featured on ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, CNN, and CNBC, and has worked with organizations such as ESPN, Google, Intel, FedEx, Bank of America, and many more.

Rich is the founder and CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute where he facilitates strategy workshops to help leadership teams think, plan, and act strategically to set direction, create advantage, and maximize their leadership performance. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eight books on strategic thinking, including his newest book: STRATEGIC: The Skill to Set Direction, Create Advantage, and Achieve Executive Excellence.

For free resources and to order STRATEGIC visit: https://www.strategyskills.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1457: Shark Tank Veteran: Michael Dweck

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne chats with Michael Dweck. Michael, the co-founder of Basic Outfitters, was named to Forbes 30 under 30 list and has appeared on the ABC hit t.v. show Shark Tank. He talks with Derek about his entrepreneurial journey, defining success, and his experience in "the tank".

In 2014, Basic Outfitters co-founders Laura and Michael Dweck married and moved into a cozy apartment in NYC. It was quickly obvious whose clothing collection would take precedence in their precious and limited closet space. Michael’s eclectic and long-time accumulated sock and underwear assortment would have to go and be replaced by a fresh, new and curated collection of basics.

When it came time to refill his drawers, Michael was faced with the choice of expensive designer products or cheap, generic and poorly made basics, both of which would entail a stressful shopping experience. Michael and Laura recognized the overwhelming need for superior and affordable men’s essentials offered to customers in a convenient, easy-to-use way. And thus, Basic Outfitters was born.

Learn more at www.basicoutfitters.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1456: Unlikely Entrepreneurs with Lou Shipley

Business Leadership Series — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:42:51 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Lou Shipley, author of Unlikely Entrepreneurs.

Lou brings more than three decades of experience in enterprise software as an executive, entrepreneur, and sales leader. Previously, Shipley was President and CEO of Black Duck Software, where he repositioned the leader in open source license and compliance software into an open source security company which led it to a successful acquisition by Synopsys. Prior to Black Duck, Shipley served as President and CEO of Turbonomic (acquired by IBM), and Reflectent Software (acquired by Citrix Systems). Shipley serves on the boards of Wasabi, Fairmarkit and CustomerGauge. He serves on the advisory boards of Exodigo, Teamworks, RapidSOS, SpoilerAlert, Tomorrow..io and Logz.io.

Shipley holds a degree in Economics from Trinity College-Hartford (where he also a Trustee), and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is currently a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School where he teaches four separate classes in Entrepreneurial Sales and go to market strategy.

In Unlikely Entrepreneurs: Wins, Losses and Crucial Advice in Building Great Companies, the authors―who hail from Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan School of Management―combine expert insights, elements of the case study method, and an engaging story-telling style to take a deep dive into the key challenges that founders face. They set the stage for each profile-―including those of entrepreneurs helming billion dollar companies to mom-and-pop businesses―whose colorful, unlikely stories showcase entrepreneurial best practices that readers can adopt to succeed. Order Unlikely Entrepreneurs

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1455: The Patient As CEO

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Robin Farmanfarmaian.

Robin is a futurist, health technologist and author of the new book “The Patient as CEO” (available now.) She is a highly-sought public speaker and business leader who is passionate about her message that “Technology is Hope.” As a teen, Robin was misdiagnosed with an autoimmune disease that led to forty-three hospitalizations and six major surgeries – many of them ultimately unnecessary. She has literally had to fight for her life on a regular basis and has made it her mission to improve health, wellness and medicine through technology.

As an entrepreneur, Robin has worked on more than 10 early-stage start-up companies all dealing with cutting-edge technology, most in medicine and biotech. In “The Patient as CEO” she reveals the growing number of breakthroughs in biomedical technology, including wearable sensors, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, robotics and more, all set to fundamentally change healthcare and wellness. Learn more at www.robinff.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1454: Shark Tank Veteran & Founder of SandiLake Clothing: Melissa Lay

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Melissa Lay.

Melissa shares how she started her unique clothing company, her experience when she found her product in Target stores nationwide, being on Shark Tank, and growing her national lifestyle brand.

Learn more at www.sandilakeclothing.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1453: As Seen on Shark Tank: Steve Sashen, CEO of Xero Shoes

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In this week’s interview, Derek Champagne talks with Shark Tank veteran Steven Sashen. Steven talks with Derek about building an international business, stepping in the Shark Tank, and even his days of stand up comedy.

Steven is the developer and CEO of Xero Shoes • Your Original Barefootware – www.XeroShoes.com. Steven and his wife, Lena Phoenix, started the “Barefoot… PLUS!” sandal business in late 2009; he had returned to sprinting 2 years earlier, at age 45, and experienced almost continuous injuries. An experiment with running barefoot cured the injuries and improved his times. Knowing about the Tarahumara indians in Mexico, who run hundreds of miles in sandals made of tire scraps lashed to their feet, Steven created a high-tech upgrade of that product and launched it online.

With nothing but Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, Xero Shoes has become the best-selling running sandal in the world.

Steven’s commitment is to making footwear that lets customers connect with the ground and “Feel The World,” fits perfectly, express wearer’s personalities, outlasts any other footwear, and uses fewer resources than any other footwear. He’s also committed to discovering and teaching the best techniques for teaching natural movement — for walking, hiking, and running.

Prior to jumping into the sandal business, Steven was an internationally-known Internet marketing expert, Search Engine and Social Media marketing consultant, and software designer. He also co-hosted the Emmy award winning, internationally syndicated TV show, Disk Doctors.

Steven is also a Masters All-American sprinter, one of the fastest 50+ year olds in the United States.

Learn more at www.xeroshoes.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1452: SHARK TANK VETERAN: BEN ZVAIFLER

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Derek interviews Shark Tank veteran Ben Zvaifler. Ben is the co founder and CEO of PupBox. PupBox landed a deal with Shark Tank personality and entrepreneur Robert Herjavec. Ben talks with Derek about his entrepreneurial journey, and how they landed a deal on Shark Tank.

Learn more at www.Pupbox.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1451: Fox Sports Emmy for Changing Lanes: The Siphiwe Baleka story

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Siphiwe Baleka. Fox Sports won an Emmy for Changing Lanes: The Siphiwe Baleka story.

Siphiwe Baleka is the founder of Fitness Trucking, LLC and serves as the Driver
Health and Fitness Coach at Prime Inc., one of America’s largest trucking companies.
His innovative, on-the-go wellness program has helped thousands of truck
drivers lose weight and reclaim their health (69% of truck drivers are obese; the
trucking industry is the least healthy of any industry in the country).

His premise is that ANYONE with 4 minutes can get fit. What works for truckers can work
for any sedentary person! Formerly, Baleka served as the Driver Health Editor
for both Road King magazine and The Trucking Network magazine. After being
raised in Chicago by a single dad, he graduated from Yale University and is the
first African American ever named to the First Team All-Ivy League Swim Team.
He missed qualifying for the 1992 Olympic Swimming Trials in the 100 freestyle
by just 0.8 seconds! He is the author of 4-Minute Fit (Simon & Schuster).

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1450: As Seen on The Profit: Mike Caprari CoFounder of SJC Custom Drums

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne interviews Mike Caprari. In addition to being the stars of a highly watched episode of MSNBC's popular tv show The Profit, Mike Caprari is a passionate musician and entrepreneur. Mike is the SVP of Marketing and Co Founder of SJC Custom Drums. His product is played and endorsed by some of the world's top musicians and bands.

Mike talks with us about his journey of building his business, his experience on The Profit, learning from mistakes, developing authentic customer relationships, engaging with customers on social media, and building the right team. Learn more at www.sjcdrums.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1449: Built To SCALE with Marissa Levin

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Derek chats with entrepreneur, author, and consultant Marissa Levin about highlights from her entrepreneurial journey and how to build an amazing culture.

As a 25 year CEO and Entrepreneur of a multi-million dollar business, she has taken on the challenge to “educate, equip, and empower” 100 million fellow entrepreneurs and leaders across the globe. Throughout her career Levin has been named a SmartCEO three times, named one of Washington’s Top 100 Technology Titans in 2009, and serves on the Global Communications Committee of Entrepreneurs Organization (the largest global organization of entrepreneurs with 13,000 members). She is also the author of a number 1 best selling book, “Built to SCALE: How Top Companies Create Breakthrough Growth Through Exceptional Advisory Boards”.

SCI is a global corporate culture consultancy that leads organizations undergoing significant transformation through a proven model to define, stabilize, and strengthen organizational cultures. SCI also works with emerging companies to help define their corporate cultures so that they can attract, hire, and retain the best talent.

Marissa and her co-founder have more than 50 years of experience helping organizations build their most engaging, productive cultures, implement supporting human resources strategies, and develop transformational leaders and teams. They share a passion for building positive, extraordinary environments where employees love to work and contribute to their organizations’ success.

Episode 1448: Success Is A Number's Game: with Kyle Austin Young

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Kyle Austin Young.

Kyle Austin Young is an award-winning strategy consultant for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in
a wide range of fields. This work has allowed him to develop and refine a powerful system for accomplishing
big, meaningful goals that focuses on understanding and changing your odds of success. Kyle is a popular
writer for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, CNBC, Psychology Today, Forbes,
and Business Insider.

His new book, SUCCESS IS A NUMBERS GAME: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds (Hay House Business, November 2025), details this system. In the context of a single goal, it could be the secret advantage that changes your outcome. Over the course of several goals, it could transform the trajectory of your career. Applied

to a lifetime of goals, it can level up your legacy.

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1447: Rohit Agarwal: CEO of The Weather Company

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Rohit Agarwal, CEO of The Weather Company.

Rohit Agarwal is the CEO of The Weather Company, the world’s most accurate forecaster. In this role, Rohit is responsible for setting the strategic vision that spans the company’s digital consumer properties, including The Weather Channel app and weather.com, as well as its enterprise business across media,

advertising, aviation, defense, and a variety of other industries. He stands behind the belief that high-performing teams are critical to innovation, growth, and impact, and diverse backgrounds and thinking benefit the end customer.

Prior to joining The Weather Company, Rohit was the chief product and revenue officer at SoundCloud, the world’s largest online community of artists, bands, DJs, and audio creators, where he led the vision, strategic execution, and revenue. This included overseeing business and product strategy, delivery and operations, design, product marketing, and growth. Through Rohit’s leadership, SoundCloud refactored the product, doubled its subscriber base, and meaningfully improved its ads business, leading the company to its first profitable year in its 16-year history.

Rohit previously served as chief product and growth officer at CNN. Throughout his career, he has driven 2-3x user and revenue growth across leading companies in industries including music (Last.fm, CBS), media

(CNN/WarnerMedia, The Economist, Bild), banking (HSBC), B2B SaaS (Trustpilot, Akamai), and consumer internet (AOL). Rohit is a frequent speaker at leading conferences (Google I/O, SXSW, CES, RISE, WebSummit, Product Summit), an active advisor and investor in startups, and launched his own startup in the past. He is also a committed supporter of diverse and inclusive education initiatives – both as a board member of the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and as a board member of Leap Year, a unique program based in metro Atlanta dedicated to improving college access and early adolescent reading skills to under-represented youth.

Rohit lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. An avid sports fan, he also enjoys playing soccer and tennis, painting, and cooking, and he acknowledges that his creative endeavors make him a better leader.

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1446: Marvin Alballi: The Hospitality Leader Behind Iconic Global Food & Beverage Brands

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:54:56 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Marvin Alballi, a globally recognized leader in the food and beverage industry, acclaimed for authoring the world’s highest-rated restaurant and F&B book, Restaurant Excellence: The Ultimate Guide to Success in the Food and Beverage Industry, available on Amazon. His book was purchased by top hotel and restaurant companies and endorsed by global chefs and CEOs.

A recipient of the prestigious Fortune 500 Brinker International “Operator of the Year” award, Alballi has established a reputation as a transformative force in hospitality, with a proven record of turning around struggling businesses and driving sustained growth.

With extensive experience across luxury, lifestyle, upscale, mainstream F&B and the restaurant franchise industry segments, Aballi has worked in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. His career includes consulting for celebrity chefs, Michelin-starred restaurants, and award-winning establishments, including MENA’s 50 Best #1 restaurant. In addition, Marvin Alballi has consulted for global, local brands, and franchises such as Orfali Bros, Boston Market, Café D’Arte, Famoso Pizzeria, The Great Harvest Bread Company, Peaceful Restaurants, Wing Stop, and Fusion Ceviche.

A sought-after keynote speaker, Alballi has been featured at leading conferences and platforms such as Bloomberg Intelligence (NYC), The Future Hospitality Summit, HSMAI, Breaking Travel News, The Fast Food & Café Convention, Dubai Restaurant Week, and the CET World Series convention on CX and Marketing. They are also a regular guest on Dubai Eye Radio’s Helen Farmer Show and have spoken for and guided several organizations including Couqley Restaurants, Paramount Hotels, Adyen, Radisson Dubai, Orfali Bros, and Crowne Plaza Muscat.

His insights and thought leadership have been showcased on international podcasts including Bloomberg, The Chef JPK, GotLanded (New York), Polaris (Dubai), and TwentyOne06.

In addition to creating the groundbreaking Twelve-Point Program (TPP)—the industry’s most effective F&B and restaurant performance management system, Alballi has become a trusted authority on brand reputation, guest experience, profitability, marketing, and restaurant economics. His expertise lies in crafting strategic, long-term business solutions that deliver measurable results and elevate operational excellence.

A Canadian citizen, Alballi continues to influence the global F&B landscape by driving innovation, quality, and sustainable growth. Alballi currently leads 26 countries and territories at Hilton Asia Pacific with more than 1,100 restaurants and bars in the Asia Pacific region.

Marvin's new book, Hospitality Excellence, is available on Amazon (as of February 2026).

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1445: World's #1 Bowler: Jason Belmonte

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek talks with the world's #1 Bowler Jason Belmonte. Jason talks with Derek about his unique story of bowling since the age of two, how he stays motivated to continue being the best in the world, and more on his entrepreneurial journey.

Jason is known for being one of the first bowlers to gain media attention for using the two handed approach style to deliver his shot. He has won 22 PBA titles, making him one of only 15 players in history with at least 20 PBA Tour wins. His PBA Tour victories include a record 11 major championships, four of these in the USBC Masters, which is also a record. He is also a four-time PBA Player of the Year.

Learn more at https://www.jasonbelmonte.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1444: Baseball legend Art Shamsky from the 69' Mets World Series Championship Team

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with baseball legend Art Shamsky. Art was a prominent player with the iconic 69′ Mets World Series Championship Team.

Art captures an important part of our nation’s history: a country torn apart by war, the year of Woodstock, the year of first person on the moon, and the “lovable losers” who went from underdog to champions!

Be sure to order Art’s MUST READ book: “After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the ’69 Mets”

Learn more at: http://artshamsky.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1443: Hyper Sales Growth with Jack Daly

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek's guest this week is Jack Daly. Jack talks with Derek about his first sales job at age 7, living a life "by design", and key insights from his book "Hyper Sales Growth".

Jack Daly is a leading sales speaker and trainer with over 30 years of sales and executive experience. Jack’s track record is a testament to his real-world knowledge and extensive expertise in sales and sales management. He started his professional journey at CPA firm Arthur Andersen and rose to the CEO level of several corporations, building six companies into national firms along the way, two of which he subsequently sold to the Wall Street firms of Solomon Brothers and First Boston.

In addition to his comprehensive professional background, Jack holds a BS in Accounting, as well as an MBA, and was a Captain in the U.S. Army. Jack Daly is an Amazon Best Selling Author and has written and contributed to many books, including Hyper Sales Growth and The Sales Playbook for Hyper Sales Growth. Jack is a 15-time Ironman competitor and has completed over 93 marathons in 49 states and on six continents. He achieves these goals and lives life to the fullest by following his own Life by Design techniques.

Learn more at https://jackdalysales.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1442: Love Is The Killer App with NY Times Best-Selling Author Tim Sanders

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

n this episode Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Tim Sanders. Tim Sanders spent most of his early career on the cutting edge of innovation and change. He was an early stage member of Mark Cuban’s Broadcast.com, which had the largest opening day IPO in history. After Yahoo acquired the company, Tim was tapped to lead their ValueLab, and by 2001, he rose to Chief Solutions Officer. In 2005, he founded Deeper Media, which provides consulting services for leading brands. Today, he is one of the top-rated speakers on the lecture circuit.

Tim is the author of four books, including the New York Times bestseller Love Is the Killer App: How To Win Business & Influence Friends. It’s been translated into over a dozen languages and has been featured in Fast Company, USA Today, the New York Times, The Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and on CNN. He’s a master storyteller who offers listeners actionable takeaways that produce results right away. That’s why he’s one of the top speakers on the lecture circuit.

Learn more at www.timsanders.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1441: Race for the Cure with Dr. David Fajgenbaum

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Listen to this powerful interview with Dr. David Fajgenbaum who has an incredible new memoir, "Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action". David’s story is truly unique; it’s a tale of learning to live, while dying: a universally relatable story about getting up and fighting back after life knocks you down.

A former Georgetown quarterback nicknamed "The Beast," David Fajgenbaum was also a force in medical school, where he was known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled over a condition they had yet to even diagnose; floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for the equivalent of a game day overtime: a second chance.

Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived, but only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease—an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world- class researchers to tackle them; instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he proposed to align them himself.

More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, his hard work has paid off: a treatment that he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when forces of determination, love, family, faith and serendipity collide.

David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc is one of the youngest individuals to be appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine. Co- founder and executive director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) and an NIH-funded physician- scientist, he has dedicated his life to discovering new treatments and cures for deadly disorders like Castleman disease, which he was diagnosed with during medical school. He is in the top 1 percent youngest grant awardees of an R01, one of the most competitive and sought-after grants in all of biomedical research. Dr. Fajgenbaum has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 healthcare list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, and one of the youngest people ever elected as a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest medical society. He was one of three recipients – including Vice President Joe Biden – of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.

Order "Chasing My Cure" at bookstores nationwide or at http://www.chasingmycure.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1440: NBA Star & Nobel Peace Prize Nominee: Enes Kanter Freedom

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Enes Kanter Freedom. Enes is a human rights activist, NBA star, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and NY Times Best Selling author of the book: In The Name of Freedom.

summary

In this conversation, Ennis Cantor-Freedom shares his remarkable journey from a childhood in Turkey, where he faced societal pressures to hate, to becoming a prominent NBA player and a human rights activist. He discusses the challenges he faced in speaking out against injustices, particularly regarding the treatment of Uyghurs in China, and the personal sacrifices he made, including estrangement from his family and the threat to his safety. Through his story, he emphasizes the importance of empathy, the responsibility of influential figures, and the need to educate the next generation about human rights and social justice.

takeaways

Ennis Cantor-Freedom's journey from Turkey to the NBA is marked by a commitment to human rights.
He faced societal pressures to hate America but chose to embrace understanding instead.
His family's support played a crucial role in shaping his values.
The NBA provided a platform for him to speak out against injustices.
He faced severe consequences for his activism, including threats to his family.
Empathy is a key theme in his message to the world.
He encourages others to use their platforms for social justice.
The importance of educating the next generation about human rights is emphasized.
He believes that silence in the face of injustice is complicity.
His story illustrates the power of individual choices in the fight for freedom.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Ennis Cantor-Freedom

01:18
Childhood in Turkey: A Journey of Understanding

06:45
Transition to America: First Impressions and Cultural Adjustments

11:23
NBA Career: From Draft to Stardom

13:21
Activism Begins: Standing Up for Human Rights

16:51
Consequences of Activism: Family and Personal Sacrifices

18:52
Living Under Threat: The Interpol List and Travel Restrictions

20:58
The Threat of Violence and Personal Safety

22:22
Joining the Boston Celtics: A New Chapter

24:04
Awakening to Human Rights Issues

25:47
Using Basketball as a Platform for Activism

29:05
The Cost of Speaking Out

31:08
Empathy: The Missing Ingredient

32:23
The Consequences of Activism

37:26
The Business of Basketball and China

38:17
The Responsibility of Influential Athletes

40:46
Taking Action: What Can We Do?

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1439: Champion of Social Good: Devin Thorpe

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Devin Thorpe. As a new-media journalist and founder of the Your Mark on the World Center, Devin has established himself as a champion of social good. Devin was formerly the CFO of one of the top 3 Fortune 500 companies before shifting his attention to social entrepreneurship.

As a Forbes contributor, with more than 250 bylines and over one million unique visitors, he has become a recognized name in the social impact arena. His YouTube show, featuring celebrities, CEOs, billionaires and entrepreneurs who are out to change the world, has been viewed over 200,000 times, giving him a recognizable face as well.

Devin is also a noted author with 4 popular books and calls himself a champion of social good. As an author, speaker and Forbes contributor he focuses on helping those doing good in the world.

www.devinthorpe.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1438: One Million by One Million with Sramana Mitra

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Sramana Mitra.

Sramana is the founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first and only global virtual incubator/accelerator. Its goal is to help a million entrepreneurs globally reach a million dollars in annual revenue, build a trillion dollars in global GDP, and create 10 million jobs.

Since its founding in 2010, 1Mby1M has become a powerful platform for democratization of entrepreneurship acceleration.

Sramana also developed 1Mby1M’s Incubator-in-a-Box methodology for Corporate Incubation that is used by enterprises to manage internal and external innovation endeavors.

In 2015, LinkedIn named Sramana one of their Top 10 Influencers alongside Bill Gates and Richard Branson.

Sramana has been an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in Silicon Valley since 1994. Her fields of experience span from hardcore technology disciplines like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Semiconductors, to sophisticated consumer marketing industries including e-commerce, fashion and education.

As an entrepreneur CEO, Sramana founded three companies: Dais (off-shore software services), Intarka (sales lead generation and qualification software using Artificial Intelligence algorithms; VC: NEA) and Uuma (online personalized store for selling clothes using Expert Systems software; VC: Redwood). Two of these were acquired, while the third received an acquisition offer from Ralph Lauren which the company did not accept.

As strategy consultant, Sramana has consulted with over 80 companies, including public companies such as SAP, Cadence Design Systems, Webex, KLA-Tencor, Best Buy, MercadoLibre and Tessera among others. Her work has also included numerous startups and VCs.

Sramana has a Masters degree in EECS from MIT and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from Smith College.

From 2000 to 2004, Sramana chaired the MIT Club of Northern California’s entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley.

Learn more at www.1Mby1M.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1437: The Go-Giver Marriage with John & Ana Mann

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this interview, Derek talks with John and Ana Mann about their new book "The Go-Giver Marriage". John and Ana share the "why" behind writing this new book, their process for collaboration, and highlight some of the secrets to lasting love. Learn more at https://gogivermarriage.com

John David Mann is coauthor of more than 30 books, including four New York Times bestsellers and five national bestsellers. His classic 2008 parable The Go-Giver (coauthored with Bob Burg) earned the 2017 Living Now Book Award’s “Evergreen Medal” for its “contribution to positive global change.”

Ana Gabriel Mann, M.A., earned her degree in clinical psychology before going on to serve as an educator, therapist, corporate trainer, speaker, and coach. She currently coaches Go-Giver Marriage clients and leads the Go-Giver Marriage Coaches Training Program, training coaches from around the globe.

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1436: Biohacking Leadership with Dr. Scott Hutcheson

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 14:36:23 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Dr. Scott Hutcheson, author of Biohacking Leadership.

Scott Hutcheson, PhD is a biosocial scientist and senior lecturer at Purdue University, where his teaching, research, and professional practice centers on leadership, team, and organizational performance through the lens of the biology of behavior. His work in biosocial sciences explores how biological systems interact with social behavior to shape how we lead, collaborate, and adapt. Dr. Hutcheson brings this perspective to leaders and organizations navigating complex, fast-changing environments.

A personal health diagnosis several years ago deepened his professional interest in the biology of behavior. After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Hutchesonturned to biohacking—using data, behavior change, and

biological feedback loops—to manage the disease. That lived experience sparked a powerful insight: the same

principles that optimize the body can optimize leadership. This became the foundation of his current work: applying biohacking principles to how leaders signal presence, build trust, and create conditions for collective success.

With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Hutcheson has worked with hundreds of organizations across industry, higher education, and the public and nonprofit sectors. His clients have included the White House, Fortune 400 companies, startups, and rural communities helping them address challenges related to competitiveness, innovation, sustainability, and public health. His impact is global, having worked with more than 4,000 leaders from 147 countries.

He is the author of numerous academic articles and essays, and his 2019 release, Strategic Doing: Ten Skills for Agile Leadership (Wiley), became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories and appeared on multiple Best Business Book lists. His next project is a three-book series with Wiley on the biodynamics of leadership, teams, and organizations.

Dr. Hutcheson is also a columnist for Forbes where his articles are read by millions. He ranks in Forbes top 0.1% in readership. Dr. Hutcheson is a sought-after speaker, delivering keynotes and workshops around the world. His TED Talk on the “Science of Prospection” has been viewed more than 1.3 million times, and his Instagram account, @bookscotttospeak, has nearly 40,000 followers. He and his wife Lisa Hutcheson, a mental health policy leader and co-founder of Hutcheson Associates, live near Indianapolis in the historic Town of Ulen with their two

dogs, Pippa and Cosette. They have two adult sons, Henry and Oliver.

To learn more about BIOHACKING LEADERSHIP, please visit: https://biohackingleadership.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1435: From Drift To Drive with Chris Robinson

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Chris Robinson. Chris is a founding partner of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team and as the Executive Vice President of the Maxwell Entrepreneur Solutions, he a product of the product leading a global team of over 40,000 speakers, coaches, and trainers. He is an international speaker who has enthralled crowds as large as 4500 and trained small groups inside of companies weekly before taking on his current role as the EVP of the Maxwell Entrepreneur Solutions.

John Maxwell has made a tremendous impact on his life over the past 20 years. Initially Chris started watching John’s VHS tapes in the basement of a church. Then as a sales representative for the largest vehicle service, he quickly advanced 3 positions in 5 years to a Senior Sales Manager by learning and then applying John’s principles. Chris helped grow that company from 18 employees to over 700.

Years later he became a part of John’s team as a certified coach. Chris has been instrumental in the development of many of the programs offered by the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Members, a leadership development organization whose members speak, coach and train on values-based, people-centric principles that help people lead powerful, positive change in themselves, in their organizations and in the world around them.

Chris Robinson’s new book, From Drift To Drive, reveals how even the most accomplished leaders, coaches, and visionaries can fall prey to the subtle trap of complacency—a quiet force that halts progress and stifles potential. Drawing on years of global experience with thousands of clients, Chris exposes how reaching a peak often leads to settling into routines that erode passion and innovation. He outlines his transformative Seven Step Framework to help you detect early signs of stagnation, reignite your drive, and map a renewed course toward extraordinary achievement. With clear, actionable advice on mastering efficient learning, forging powerful connections, and overcoming obstacles, this book is your essential guide to turning daily busywork into a dynamic journey toward a more fulfilling, impactful life.

Order From Drift To Drive anywhere books are sold or direct link: https://store.maxwellleadership.com/products/chris-robinson-from-drift-to-drive-a-high-achievers-guide-to-breaking-the-chains-of-complacency

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1434: Military Leadership Secrets That Transformed Fortune 500 Giants

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with former British Military Officer, Jimmy Burroughes.

Jimmy’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. He began his career as a British Military Officer, leading soldiers across Europe and the Middle East. It was there he learned, sometimes in life-or-death situations, the true meaning of intentional leadership: how to inspire trust, keep people motivated under extreme pressure, and build unity in uncertain environments.

When Jimmy transitioned out of the military, he faced his own challenges, struggling to find his place in the corporate world and experiencing first-hand the burnout and disconnection that so many leaders face. This difficult period became the catalyst for his mission to redefine leadership in a way that sustains both people and performance.

Through his journey from the battlefield to the boardroom, Jimmy developed his “Simplify to Amplify” methodology, a framework born out of necessity that is now transforming how global organisations lead their people. His story resonates deeply because it is not just about success; it is about overcoming adversity, finding clarity, and choosing a path that creates lasting impact.

Jimmy shares this journey with honesty and humility, weaving in the hard lessons from both military service and corporate leadership. Audiences often walk away not only inspired but equipped with the belief that they too can lead with more intention, reclaim time, and create meaningful results without burning out.

Jimmy made the leap from British military officer to Fortune 500 leadership expert and now leads the charge in transforming overwhelmed managers into high-performing leaders. His bestselling books, “Beat Burnout - Ignite Performance” and “Escape the Multitasking Trap,” deliver action you can feel. His signature “Simplify to Amplify” methodology gets leaders performing at an average of 47% higher in just 90 days—no fluff, just results.

Across Samsung, Bank of America, Lego, Fonterra, and 40+ countries, Jimmy has guided more than 3,000 leaders from burnout to breakthrough. The secret? He applies hard-won lessons from command and operations to cut through clutter and create measurable improvements. These same principles have driven up productivity by 156% and slashed overwhelm by 89% in teams worldwide.

Learn more at: https://www.jimmyburroughes.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1433: Nobody's Legend with Jason Ferguson

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Jason Ferguson.

Jason Ferguson wasn’t supposed to make it—not out of his neighborhood, not into a Division I locker

room, and definitely not to a tech IPO. But he’s never followed the script. A former University of Hawai‘i football player, Jason is now a Sales Leader, speaker, coach, and author of Nobody’s Legend, a self-help memoir

rooted in truth, pain, and resilience.

Raised in West Los Angeles, Jason faced violence, loss, and long odds. Football became his escape, and his obsession. Despite being undersized, he earned a full-ride scholarship through grit, vision, and relentless work. But when injuries ended his career, the identity he’d built crumbled, and he spiraled into addiction behind

closed doors. Jason’s journey is one of rebuilding. From silence to significance. Today, he’s a Director of

Sales at ServiceTitan, where he helped scale the company through its hypergrowth years and successful IPO. He also coaches early-stage tech founders, helping them build high-performing revenue teams and sustainable growth strategies—grounded not in theory, but lived experience.

Jason speaks on emotional intelligence, mental resilience, and transforming adversity into advantage, bringing unfiltered truth to audiences ranging from students to C-suite leaders.

Nobody’s Legend isn’t just a memoir. It’s a raw, unapologetic roadmap through chaos, self-destruction, and the long climb back to purpose. Told with unfiltered honesty and cinematic detail, this is the true story of a former D1 athlete who lost it all—football, identity, family, self-worth—and still found a way to rebuild from rock bottom.

Jason Ferguson takes you inside the mind of an addict mid-withdrawal, a teenager chasing dreams in the unforgiving streets of L.A., and a grown man staring down the voice in his head telling him he’s not enough. What unfolds isn’t a comeback story. It’s a reintroduction to who he was always meant to be.

This book goes beyond motivation. It’s about the war between your ears—the lies you believe, the doubts you feed, and the habits that either bury you or build you. Whether it’s walking into a sales job in an oversized suit with nothing to lose or running sprints up a sand dune at 4 AM chasing a vision no one else could see, Nobody’s

Legend reminds you that your pain isn’t proof you're broken. It’s proof you're not done yet.

It’s about mindset. It’s about radical accountability. It’s about getting hit and getting back up with your

identity intact. And most of all, it’s about reminding every underdog, former screw-up, or misunderstood soul out

there that you don’t have to be famous to be legendary.

Order a copy of Nobody's Legend: https://jfinspires.com/book/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1432: NYT Best Selling Author Shaka Senghor: How to Be Free

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Episode 1431: The Resilience Mindset with Terry Healey

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Episode 1430: New York Times Best Selling Author Brian Moran

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek interviews NY Times best selling author, Brian Moran.

Brian Moran has over thirty years of expertise as a CEO, corporate executive, entrepreneur, consultant and coach. His background as a corporate executive combined with his experience as an entrepreneur positions him with a unique skill set to help individuals and organizations grow and prosper.
Brian’s corporate experience includes management and executive positions with UPS, PepsiCo, and Northern Automotive. As an entrepreneur he has personally launched and led successful businesses and been instrumental in the success of many others. In addition, he has consulted for dozens of world-class companies including Coldwell Banker, Mass Mutual, Medtronic, New York Life, and Tiffany & Co.

Brian is a recognized expert in the field of leadership and execution. His realization that most people don’t lack ideas but struggle with effective implementation led him to the development of The 12 Week Year. In addition to his books, Brian has been published in many of the leading business journals and magazines. He is a sought after speaker, educating and inspiring thousands each year.

He is a visionary with a passion for helping others go beyond what they think they are capable of and achieve more than they ever thought possible. His greatest strength might be his ability to take success principles and strategies and help others apply them in a way that is powerful and effective, and gets results.

Learn more at: https://12weekyear.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1429: Melissa Proctor - CMO of Atlanta Hawks

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Episode 1428: Do NO Harm - Charles Kochel

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne sits down for a special conversation with his dear friend, Charles Kochel. Charles is a husband, father, entrepreneur, and author.

Charles is also the CEO of Infinity Blue, North America, a borderless e-commerce agency helping brands engage with new customers on multiple platforms and continents.

Charles talks with us about business, life…and cancer.

Charles new must-read book is More: A Mindful Guide To Intentional Living

In More, Charles Kochel presents a heartfelt exploration of what truly matters in life: spirituality, health, relationships, time, and freedom. This book is not about imparting absolute truths but rather about encouraging readers to embark on their own unique journeys toward fulfillment.

Through personal stories and valuable lessons, Kochel invites you to reflect on your path, recognize your potential, and embrace the richness of life. With an emphasis on mindfulness and intentionality, More serves as a guide to inspire you to live fully, love deeply, and discover the beauty in every moment. Join Kochel on this transformative journey and empower yourself to do more and be better.

Order a copy of Charle’s book at https://kochelhill.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Episode 1427: From Refugee to Wall Street: How Grit, Adaptability & Discipline Fueled a Successful IPO

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 03 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

charities and educational organizations. He lives in Florida with his family, continuing to

Episode 1426: Super Bowl Champion Brett Goode

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with Brett Goode, former AR Razorback and Superbowl XLV champion with the Green Bay Packers. Brett shares his unique story from being in the right place at the right time, walking on to the Razorbacks without a scholarship, his over decade long career in the NFL, the experience of winning a Super Bowl, transitioning after sports, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Episode 1425: Verne Harnish

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with guest Verne Harnish, founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and author of the best-selling book “Scaling Up”, about including his family in his business, building anti-fragile children and companies, and what’s new for Scaling Up.

Verne Harnish is the founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), with over 14,000 members worldwide, and chaired for fifteen years EO’s premiere CEO program, the “Birthing of Giants” held at MIT, a program in which he still teaches today.

Founder and CEO of Gazelles, a global executive education and coaching company with over 200 partners on six continents, Verne has spent the past three decades helping companies scaleup.

The “Growth Guy” syndicated columnist, he’s also the Venture columnist for FORTUNE magazine. He chairs the bi-annual ScaleUp Summits in collaboration with Bloomberg LIVE.

He’s the author of the bestseller Mastering the Rockefeller Habits which is translated into 9 languages; and along with the editors of Fortune, authored The Greatest Business Decisions of All Times” for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword. His latest book Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0) has won eight major international book awards including the prestigious International Book Award for Best General Business book.

Verne serves on several boards including chairman of The Riordan Clinic and the newly launched Geoversity. A private investor in many scaleups, Verne enjoys piano, tennis, and magic as a card-carrying member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Learn more at https://scalingup.com/

Episode 1424: Sanyin Siang: Behavioral Science Principles and Life Data Points

Business Leadership Series — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:10:07 +0000

Sanyin Siang is Derek's amazing featured guest this week! Sanyin shares highlights from her journey, and how to accept positive affirmations and constructive criticism as data points in your life, importance of being generous, and how to be vulnerable.

Sanyin helps leaders launch and create value by focusing on mindset, behavioral change, and team and culture building. Sanyin is a CEO Coach, Advisor, Author,the Executive Director of Duke University’s Fuqua/Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics (COLE) and a Professor with its Pratt School of Engineering.

The COLE center is a leadership laboratory that engages all of Duke’s Daytime MBA students and convenes high-level think tank gatherings to explore today’s complex leadership opportunities and challenges.

Sanyin coaches C-suite executives and is in the original cohort of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches. She is an advisor for GV (former Google Ventures), Duke Corporate Education, and the Sports Innovation Lab. Her thought leadership has appeared in Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN. She has more than 1 million LinkedIn followers. She is a LinkedIn Top 10 Influencer and a Thinkers50 On the Radar.

Sanyin’s board service has included those of The Emily K Center, The Museum of Life & Science, Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center. She is a Sr. Advisor with Dan Ariely’s Center for Advanced Hindsight and a faculty with StoryLab at Duke. She has spoken to audiences from the White House to Global Sports Management and Owners Summits.

Prior to Duke, Sanyin worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest federation of scientific and engineering societies, and publisher of Science. Her initiatives explored the ethical, social, and legal implications of technological advances before they became reality.

Her book The Launch Book: Motivational Stories for Launching Your Idea, Business, or Next Career, uses behavioral science principles to help readers build the mindset for addressing major change.

Sanyin received a BSE in Biomedical Engineering and an MBA from Duke University.

Order "The Launch Book": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074JC5L9V/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Episode 1423: Marques Ogden: Author, Entrepreneur, & Former NFL Player

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne interviews former NFL play and entrepreneur, Marques Ogden. Marques, the best-selling author of "Sleepless Nights: The NFL: a Business and Family", talks with Derek about his childhood years, playing in the NFL, his entrepreneurial journey, and leadership lessons along the way.

Growing up in a single-parent home with a father that inspired and demonstrated perseverance and fairness, Marques Ogden learned how to define his values and set goals. Marques attended Howard University from 1998-2002, where he played Division I football. He followed his dream and his brother Jonathan's footsteps and was drafted into the NFL in 2003. At the age of 27, he founded a construction company called Kayden Premier Enterprises, a business that grew rapidly in its first few years, but he lost the business after a bad business endeavor. At his lowest point, the NFL and lessons he learned from his father and coaches, helped him restructure his life.

Learn more at https://www.marquesogden.com/

Episode 1422: Don’t Sleep On It! Turn Your Passion & Expertise Into A Profitable Business

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Kavit Haria.

From a young age, Kavit Haria learned to play “the world’s most dificult percussion instrument”, the Tabla. Having immersed himself in learning about artist promotion, Kavit began to raise his profile and performed across the UK at venues large and small, with many artists (including Jimmy Page at the Royal Albert Hall) and recorded albums at the famed Abbey Road studios.

Recognizing the demand for sharing what he learned gave rise to Kavit’s first company, Insider Music Business. Within five years, from 2005 to 2010, Kavit created thirty-five different educational products online, from ebooks to video courses and audio training to membership programs, which he promoted to the growing database of 120,000 musicians and hit 7 figures in revenue.
Kavit then turned to share his marketing automation strategies at business conferences in the UK and ran private workshops for small business owners in New York,
Sydney and London.

Since 2013, Kavit has been running Automated Business System, a flagship service to help experts and brands strategies, build, launch and market their businesses online. He has helped launch and grow 120+ businesses for clients, generating $100,000 or more in their first year online sales.

Now, Kavit puts the knowledge and inspiration from his 10-years of building businesses into his new book, Don’t Sleep On It! Turn Your Passion & Expertise Into A Profitable Business.

Learn more at https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Sleep-Expertise-Profitable-Business/dp/1683509854

Episode 1421: Love is the Killer App with NY Times Best Selling Author Tim Sanders

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek interviews Tim Sanders. Tim spent most of his early career on the cutting edge of innovation and change. He was an early stage member of Mark Cuban’s Broadcast.com, which had the largest opening day IPO in history. After Yahoo acquired the company, Tim was tapped to lead their ValueLab, and by 2001, he rose to Chief Solutions Officer. In 2005, he founded Deeper Media, which provides consulting services for leading brands. Today, he is one of the top-rated speakers on the lecture circuit.

Tim is the author of four books, including the New York Times bestseller Love Is the Killer App: How To Win Business & Influence Friends. It’s been translated into over a dozen languages and has been featured in Fast Company, USA Today, the New York Times, The Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and on CNN. He’s a master storyteller who offers listeners actionable takeaways that produce results right away. That’s why he’s one of the top speakers on the lecture circuit.

Episode 1420: Jesse Cole: The Savannah Bananas

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

From the interview vault: Derek talks with Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas. Jesse helps companies stand out by thinking different, creating attention and creating fans for life.

Jesse is the Owner of Fans First Entertainment, who owns and operates the Savannah Bananas.

Cole is an in-demand speaker and author of “Find Your Yellow Tux – How to Be Successful by Standing Out”

Cole believes to be successful you need to Stand Out and Be Different. He releases blogs and videos daily on FindYourYellowTux.com. He is passionate about creating attention, loving your customers more than your product and loving your employees more than your customers. Cole’s mantra is “Whatever’s normal, do the exact opposite.”

Order Jesse's book now: http://findyouryellowtux.com/

Episode 1419: The Amazon Way: 14 Leadership Principles of the World’s Most Disruptive Company

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews John Rossman. John Rossman is the author of The Amazon Way book series, and a Managing Director at Alvarez and Marsal (A&M), a global professional services rm. John is an expert in innovative and digital business models and organizational change, including internet of things (IoT).

Prior to A&M, John was an executive at Amazon.com where he launched the third party selling business, which today is over 50% of all Amazon units and supports over 3 million sellers. He is a leading analyst on Amazon and has been featured by the New York Times and CNBC.

The Amazon Way series helps managers and leaders build digital strategies and skills. The customer reviews tell the story on the impact these books are having.

The Amazon Way: 14 Leadership Principles of the World’s Most Disruptive Company is considered the authoritative work on helping business leaders understand how Amazon creates a systematic culture of operational excellence and innovation.
The Amazon Way on IoT: 10 Principles for Every Leader from the World’s Leading Internet of Things Strategies is a highly reviewed business strategy book outlining the strategies and approaches for using the internet of things to improve operations and innovation.

Episode 1418: Founder & CEO of RedHead Wines: Marisa Sergi

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

From interview vault: In this episode Derek Champagne interviews the Founder & CEO of RedHead Wines, Marisa Sergi just after she has landed a deal with WalMart stores. Marisa is a young business owner who is a third generation wine maker. Marisa shares her background, passion for making wine, and the highlights of her entrepreneurial journey.

Learn more at https://redheadwine.us

Episode 1417: Yannis Moati: Hotels by Day

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 25 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne talks with Shark Tank veteran Yannis Moati. Yannis is the Founder & CEO of Hotels by Day, which seamlessly unlocks latent intra-day room inventory, bringing guests the flexibility of short stays. Intra-day rooms being the inventory of unsold rooms from the night before pooled with early checkouts.

Yannis shares his experiences launching his new business and growing his national brand.

Learn more at www.hotelsbyday.com

Episode 1416: Eddie Yoon: Growing Categories & Engaging Super Consumers

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 18 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne chats with Eddie Yoon. Eddie is a growth strategy expert for the last 20 years as a Partner with The Cambridge Group. In the last 5 years, he has helped double numerous businesses-cable media company, food brand, beverage company, pet food brand, consumer robotics, standby generators-from several hundred million to close to a billion dollars.

Eddie is the author of the acclaimed book, Superconsumers: A Simple, Speedy and Sustainable Path to Superior Growth (Harvard Business School Press, 2016). He is also the author of over 40 articles, including Make Your Best Customers Even Better (Harvard Business Review magazine, March 2014) and Why It Pays to Be a Category Creator (Harvard Business Review magazine, March 2013). Eddie has been a keynote speaker in the U.S., Africa, Australia, Denmark, the UK and Japan.

Episode 1415: Aaron Walker: ISI Brotherhood

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 11 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek interviews successful entrepreneur and coach Aaron Walker. Aaron talks with us about the meaning of success, growing from personal tragedy, and living a purpose-filled life. Aaron is the founder of ISI Brotherhood, helping faith-forward business men to step out of isolation to live a life of success AND significance around the five pillars of a whole man: personal, professional, relational, spiritual, and financial.

Learn more at https://www.isibrotherhood.com/

Episode 1414: Fox Sports Emmy for Changing Lanes: The Siphiwe Baleka story.

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 04 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Episode 1413: Ishveen Jolly: CEO + Founder at OpenSponsorship

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with Ishveen Jolly, CEO + Founder at OpenSponsorship. Ishveen shares her entrepreneurial journey, key leadership principles, and how she built the category leader.

The startup was born out of her experience as a successful sports agent in India and the UK. OpenSponsorship now has over 5,500 athletes, teams and events being managed to brands globally looking for sports marketing opportunities. Ishveen was included in the Forbes 30under30 sports list in 2015 and OpenSponsorship was named a finalist in the 2015 Sports Technology Awards, category of best technology facilitating commercial returns. She graduated from Oxford University.

OpenSponsorship is a two-sided marketplace for sports sponsorship that makes sponsorship accessible, efficient and data-driven. Brands can save time and energy sifting through opportunities by using the easy but comprehensive search, then connect with the relevant partnerships which are listed directly by the teams, athletes, federation, events or their agencies.

Learn more at http://opensponsorship.com/

Episode 1412: Kent Hance - The Best Storyteller In Texas

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Kent Hance is a lawyer, a former U.S. Congressman, a university chancellor, and most notably, a native Texan. With the launch of his new podcast, Kent Hance: The Best Storyteller in Texas, Hance shares stories from his legendary life on themes relating to leadership, politics and great friendships with some real characters.

Hance received his B.B.A. from Texas Tech University in 1965 and his law degree from the University of Texas in 1968. He served in the Texas state senate from 1975 - 1979. In 1978, after defeating George W. Bush, Hance was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Texas’ 19th Congressional District, where he served until 1985.

Following six years as a U.S. Congressman, Hance served on the Texas Railroad Commission from 1987-1991 (Chairman 1989-1990), the Governor’s Energy Council, Governor’s Oil Spill Advisory Committee, Texas High Speed Rail Commission, Interstate Oil Compact Commission, and the Texas Mining Council.

In 2006, Hance was selected to serve as Chancellor to Texas Tech University. After his retirement as Chancellor in 2014, he was named Chancellor Emeritus and continues to teach a popular seminar class on leadership at Texas Tech.

Subscribe and listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-storyteller-in-texas-podcast/id1558310539

Episode 1411: Sanyin Siang: Behavioral Science Principles and Life Data Points

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Sanyin Siang shares highlights from her journey, and how to accept positive affirmations and constructive criticism as data points in your life, importance of being generous, and how to be vulnerable.

Sanyin helps leaders launch and create value by focusing on mindset, behavioral change, and team and culture building. Sanyin is a CEO Coach, Advisor, Author,the Executive Director of Duke University’s Fuqua/Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics (COLE) and a Professor with its Pratt School of Engineering.

The COLE center is a leadership laboratory that engages all of Duke’s Daytime MBA students and convenes high-level think tank gatherings to explore today’s complex leadership opportunities and challenges.

Sanyin coaches C-suite executives and is in the original cohort of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches. She is an advisor for GV (former Google Ventures), Duke Corporate Education, and the Sports Innovation Lab. Her thought leadership has appeared in Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN. She has more than 1 million LinkedIn followers. She is a LinkedIn 2017 & 2018 Top 10 Influencer and a 2018 Thinkers50 On the Radar.

Sanyin’s board service has included those of The Emily K Center, The Museum of Life & Science, Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center. She is a Sr. Advisor with Dan Ariely’s Center for Advanced Hindsight and a faculty with StoryLab at Duke. She has spoken to audiences from the White House to Global Sports Management and Owners Summits.

Prior to Duke, Sanyin worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest federation of scientific and engineering societies, and publisher of Science. Her initiatives explored the ethical, social, and legal implications of technological advances before they became reality.

Her book The Launch Book: Motivational Stories for Launching Your Idea, Business, or Next Career, uses behavioral science principles to help readers build the mindset for addressing major change.

Sanyin received a BSE in Biomedical Engineering and an MBA from Duke University.

Order "The Launch Book": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074JC5L9V/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Episode 1410: Rennie Curran: Operate At The Level Of Your Vision

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

From the interview vault: Derek Champagne talks with pro athlete entrepreneur Rennie Curran about how to (Rennie's phrase) "operate at the level of your vision". As a former NFL player, Rennie shares his experience in transitioning to an entrepreneur and the valuable leadership lessons he's learned along the way.

Rennie is the CEO of Game Changer Coaching whose mission is to help business professionals and elite athletes reach their fullest potential through personal development workshops and one-on-one coaching in order to improve leadership and career performance. Key areas of expertise include leadership effectiveness, building effective teams, strategic planning, mental toughness, conflict resolution, overcoming adversity, diversity and inclusion, and personal branding.

Rennie is the author of Free Agent: Intangible Assets For Overcoming Adversity and Times of Transition and What Does It Take To Be A Star?, which he co-authored with his daughter.

Learn more at https://renniecurran.com/

Episode 1409: Seth Buechley Shares Ambition: Leading With Gratitude

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

From the interview vault - In this episode Derek interviews Seth Buechley.

Seth is a serial entrepreneur with a unique background. He grew up in a commune in the woods of southern Oregon, married his high school sweetheart, skipped college, and still managed to build and sell several
companies resulting in multi-million-dollar exits.

He enjoys connecting high-potential leaders with the ideas and resources to grow their business or organization while achieving lasting leadership impact.

Seth is also the author of the popular new book Ambition: Leading with Gratitude.

Learn more at www.sethbuechley.com

Episode 1408: Shark Tank Veteran, Author, & Entrepreneur: Arlene Battishill

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Interview vault from Derek Champagne's discussion with international business woman Arlene Battishill. Arlene is the co-founder of the International brand GoGo Gear, a Shark Tank veteran, consultant, and best-selling author of the book Retail Therapy: A Prescription For What Ails Your Online Sales. Shark Tank Star, Daymond John, has called Arlene book, Retail Shock Therapy as "a MUST READ for businesses selling online."

Arlene talks with Derek about building her brand, testing her product, shifting with the marketplace, her experience on Shark Tank, and tips for building effective communication that resonates with your target audience.

Episode 1407: ABC Shark Tank Veteran Michael Levin

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

We pulled one of our favorite interviews from the BLS interview archives where Derek Champagne interviews Michael Levin. This was a powerful interview and Michael overdelivered as our guest! As one of the most established writers in the nation, New York Times best-selling author Michael Levin has written or co-written more than 100 books, of which eleven are national best sellers.

He appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank on January 20th, 2012. In the past, Michael has published with Simon & Schuster, Random House, St. Martin’s Press, Putnam/Berkley, and many other houses. His works have been optioned for film and TV by Steven Soderbergh/Paramount, HBO, Disney, ABC, and others. One of his own novels became Model Behavior, an ABC Sunday night Disney movie of the week. He has also made contributions to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Politico, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Jerusalem Post, Writers Digest, CBS News. Michael has had the experience to teach writing classes at the University of California – Los Angeles and New York University. As an Amherst College and Columbia Law School graduate, Michael served for many years as a member of the prestigious Authors Guild Council and as Treasurer of the Authors Guild Foundation.

Michael currently resides with his wife and four children in Boston, Massachusetts. Learn more about Michael at www.businessghost.com

Episode 1406: Derek Champagne on Motivational Mondays

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne is on the other side of the interview as a guest on Motivational Mondays, an amazing London-based podcast, hosted by Abigale Otchere.

Derek talks about coming from humble beginnings, his years as a Hollywood musician, his rock bottom and overcoming obstacles, celebrating 15 years as an agency owner, how he ultimately measures success, and becoming a legacy entrepreneur.

Learn more at www.businessleadershipseries.com

Episode 1405: Sean Wittenberg: Shark Tank Veteran & Founder at Safe Catch

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne, Founder & CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Sean Wittenberg. Sean has been featured on ABC hit tv show Shark Tank and is the President & Founder of Safe Catch Inc.

Sean is on a mission to make a positive impact on our world and he is well on his way! He talks with Derek about motivation behind developing his technology and company, how he maintains his passion and focus, and what's next for his industry.

Safe Catch is an award nominee at Expo West for its 100% mercury tested canned tuna. Purity for pregnant women, kids and top athletes. Safe Catch pack and cook methods result in more purity, nutrients and Omega 3s for peak performance and recovery. SafeCatch.com.

People, globally, want to live happy, healthy lives and unilaterally recognize that a healthy diet is key. Safe Catch provides the purity and nutrients to give all consumers, around the world, the ability to eat seafood with confidence.

The last 10 years has been spent developing the world’s first technology capable of testing every fish for impurities. Never before has a company been able to guarantee seafood purity for consumers.

Learn more at www.safecatch.com

Episode 1404: Shark Tank Veteran and Influencer Aaron Marino

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Youtube sensation and 2x Shark Tank guest Aaron Marino! Aaron Marino, successful entrepreneur and Founder of Pete & Pedro, gives us valuable insight on growing a brand, learning from failures, and building a content machine with millions of engaged followers.

Learn more at www.aaronmarino.com

Episode 1403: As Seen on The Profit: Mike Caprari CoFounder of SJC Custom Drums

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Episode 1402: INTERVIEW WITH STEVE SASHEN, DEVELOPER AND CEO OF XERO SHOES AND SHARK TANK VETERAN

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

With nothing but Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, Xero Shoes has become the best-selling running sandal in the world.

Steven is also a Masters All-American sprinter, one of the fastest 50+ year olds in the United States.

Learn more at www.xeroshoes.com

Episode 1401: MELISSA GERSIN, SHARK TANK VETERAN AND TRANQUILO MAT FOUNDER

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne talks with Melissa Gersin. Melissa was featured on the hit tv show Shark Tank and shares her transformation from maternity RN to inventor and business owner.

Based on 5 years of experience as a maternity RN, Melissa invented and designed the Tranquilo Mat – the only portable, versatile soothing mat for babies. Listen in as she shares her long journey in launching the product, challenges along the way, and ultimately triumph!

Episode 1400: BEN ZVAIFLER, CEO OF PUPBOX AND SHARK TANK VETERAN

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Learn more at www.Pupbox.com

Episode 1399: Lisa Binderow: Shark Tank Veteran and CEO of NicePipes

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek interviews Lisa Binderow. Lisa has a GREAT start up story and shares her healthy outlook on building a business, choosing balance, and her experience on ABC's hit tv show Shark Tank.

Learn more at www.nicepipesapparel.com

Episode 1398: How Scaling Up Changed My Life

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Derek interviews entrepreneur and consultant, Herb Cogliano.

Herb leads his own advisory practice leveraging the Scaling Up Performance Platform, described in Verne Harnish's award-winning book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits-Scaling Up.

As a Business Coach, experienced CEO Scaling Up Practitioner, and Professor of the Scaling Up Masters Business Course, he has learned firsthand what it takes to overcome many business challenges. Herb is pursuing his passion of working with leaders of growth companies to achieve more freedom by helping them create industry leading strategies, a culture of accountability, flawless execution along with a healthy cash flow within their organizations.

Herb was formerly CEO of Sullivan and Cogliano Designers, a 53-year privately held family owned, Technology Staffing and Workforce Solutions firm and in 1993, he also founded the Sullivan and Cogliano education business.

Sullivan and Cogliano joined a select group of companies that have appeared on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company list multiple times. The Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth over a four-year period. This achievement puts us in a unique position, especially if you consider that over 27 million businesses are registered in the USA.

His firm was a Multiyear recipient of Boston and South Florida Business Journal Best Places to Work Award. This honor recognizes Sullivan and Cogliano achievements for changing the business landscape, in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains employees through a combination of employee satisfaction, working conditions and company culture.

Learn more at https://www.aspiregrowthadvisors.com/

Episode 1397: INTERVIEW WITH ROBIN FARMANFARMAIAN, AUTHOR OF “THE PATIENT AS CEO”

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Robin Farmanfarmaian is a futurist, health technologist and author of the new book “The Patient as CEO” (available now.) She is a highly-sought public speaker and business leader who is passionate about her message that “Technology is Hope.” As a teen, Robin was misdiagnosed with an autoimmune disease that led to forty-three hospitalizations and six major surgeries – many of them ultimately unnecessary. She has literally had to fight for her life on a regular basis and has made it her mission to improve health, wellness and medicine through technology.

Episode 1396: Shark Tank Veteran & Entrepreneur Beau Oyler

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

We spoke to Beau Oyler, Shark Tank Veteran and Entrepreneur recently. Beau talks with Derek about his experience on Shark Tank, building a successful company, and some valuable lessons he has learned along the way.
Having founded Enlisted Design and Urbio, he has created rich product and brand experiences for fortune 500’s and small startups. He pioneered the design cooperative movement and has a unique ability to truly collaborate with his partners. His designs have received every major design award including Red Dot, Spark, IDEA, GOOD Design, TheDieline, Wired Editor’s Choice and Best of Show at Dwell on Design.
Highlights:
San Francisco Business Times “40 Under 40”
Diablo Magazine “40 Under 40” San Francisco Business Times
“Fastest Growing Private Companies in the SF Bay Area”
Led the Honey Can Do acquisition of Urbio
2015 Highlights:
Enlisted named Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America by Entrepreneur Magazine
When not at Enlisted, you’ll find him cycling, surfing, hiking and exploring with his wife and two adventurous kids.
Learn more at www.enlisteddesign.com

Episode 1395: The Social Entrepreneur

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Derek Champagne interviews Devin Thorpe. As a new-media journalist and founder of the Your Mark on the World Center, Devin has established himself as a champion of social good. Devin was formerly the CFO of one of the top 3 Fortune 500 companies in 2009 before shifting his attention to social entrepreneurship.

As a Forbes contributor, with more than 250 bylines and over one million unique visitors, he has become a recognized name in the social impact arena. His YouTube show, featuring celebrities, CEOs, billionaires and entrepreneurs who are out to change the world, has been viewed over 200,000 times, giving him a recognizable face as well.

Devin is also a noted author with 4 popular books that have raving reviews and over 1,000,000 downloads to date.

Devin calls himself a champion of social good. As an author, speaker and Forbes contributor he focuses on helping those doing good in the world.

www.devinthorpe.com

Episode 1394: Be The Active Hero In Your Own Story: Jen Grisanti

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, chats with tv executive and consultant, Jen Grisanti, about being the active hero in your own story.

International speaker Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy, Inc. Grisanti is also a Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a former studio executive, a blogger for The Huffington Post and author of Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story, TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells, and her upcoming book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life.

Twenty-Three years ago, Grisanti started her career as an assistant to Aaron Spelling, who served as her mentor for 12 years. She quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all of Spelling’s shows including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount where she covered numerous shows including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400 and Girlfriends.

In January 2008, Grisanti launched Jen Grisanti Consultancy, Inc., a highly successful consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers break into the industry. Drawing on her years of experience as a studio executive where she gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, Grisanti personally guides writers to shape their material, hone their pitches and focus their careers. Since launching her consulting firm, Grisanti worked with over 800 writers specializing in television, features and novels. Due to her guidance, seventy-five of her clients have staffed as writers on television shows, forty have sold pilots, and five of those pilots have gone to series. Learn more at www.jengrisanti.com

Episode 1393: Derrick Furlow Jr: How To Transition Like A Champion

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Former pro football player and entrepreneur Derrick Furlow Jr shares his "Get Out of Arkansas" plan and when he learned his higher calling.

Growing up, Derrick saw himself as another kid who wanted a better life and knew sports, in particular, football would serve as a vehicle to a better life. After growing up with much adversity, he began working towards shifting his perspective from a temporary experience of playing on the field to a permanent purpose of serving those who currently and formerly played sports. Today, Derrick travels across the United States sharing his story with the hope of empowering others to never to yield when facing adversity.

Derrick is now the author of "What's Next: How To Transition Like A Champion" and coaches athletes, CEOs, executives, and leaders to grow in transition and adversity.

Learn more at https://derrickfurlow.com/

Episode 1391: Shark Tank Veteran & COO of LovePop: John Wise

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Shark Tank Veteran John Wise. John has an MBA from Harvard and is the Co Founder and COO of LovePop, a company that scored a deal with Mr. Wonderful on the TV show Shark Tank and is disrupting the greeting card industry.

John talks with Derek about launching their Kickstarter campaign, having transparency and trust with your partners and team, how his network helped them to launch, and his experience before, during, and after Shark Tank.

Episode 1392: Do No Harm: Charles Kochel

Business Leadership Series — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 13:20:41 +0000

Derek Champagne sits down for a special conversation with his dear friend, Charles Kochel. Charles is a husband, father, entrepreneur, and author.

Charles is also the CEO of Infinity Blue, North America, a borderless e-commerce agency helping brands engage with new customers on multiple platforms and continents.

Charles talks with us about business, life…and cancer.

Charles new must-read book is More: A Mindful Guide To Intentional Living

Order a copy of Charle’s book at https://kochelhill.com/

Episode 1390: Marques Ogden: Author, Entrepreneur, & Former NFL Player

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Episode 1389: Building an A-Team with Whitney Johnson

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Episode 1388: Race for the Cure with Dr. David Fajgenbaum

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Listen to this powerful interview with Dr. David Fajgenbaum who has an incredible new memoir, "Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action". David’s story is truly unique; it’s a tale of learning to live, while dying: a universally relatable story about getting up and fighting back after life knocks you down.

A former Georgetown quarterback nicknamed "The Beast," David Fajgenbaum was also a force in medical school, where he was known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled over a condition they had yet to even diagnose; floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for the equivalent of a game day overtime: a second chance.

Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived, but only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease—an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world- class researchers to tackle them; instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he proposed to align them himself.

More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, his hard work has paid off: a treatment that he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when forces of determination, love, family, faith and serendipity collide.

David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc is one of the youngest individuals to be appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine. Co- founder and executive director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) and an NIH-funded physician- scientist, he has dedicated his life to discovering new treatments and cures for deadly disorders like Castleman disease, which he was diagnosed with during medical school. He is in the top 1 percent youngest grant awardees of an R01, one of the most competitive and sought-after grants in all of biomedical research. Dr. Fajgenbaum has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 healthcare list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, and one of the youngest people ever elected as a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest medical society. He was one of three recipients – including Vice President Joe Biden – of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. Winner of the RARE Champion of Hope: Science award, Dr. Fajgenbaum has been profiled in a cover story by The New York Times as well as by Reader's Digest, Science, and the Today Show. Dr. Fajgenbaum earned a BS from Georgetown University magna cum laude with honors and distinction, MSc from the University of Oxford, MD from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and MBA from The Wharton School. He is a former Division I college quarterback, state-champion weight lifter, and co-founder of a
national grief support network.

Order "Chasing My Cure" at bookstores nationwide or at http://www.chasingmycure.com/

Episode 1387: First Man to Bear Crawl to the Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Kyle Maynard is a motivational speaker, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and ESPY award-winning mixed martial arts athlete, known for becoming the first quadruple amputee to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Aconcagua without the aid of prosthetics.

Oprah Winfrey called Kyle “one of the most inspiring young men you will ever hear about.” Arnold Schwarzenegger described him as “the real deal,” “a champion human,” and “one of the most inspiring people” he’s ever met. Even the great Wayne Gretzky has spoken of Kyle’s “greatness.”

Despite being born with a rare condition known as congenital amputation, that has left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees, he learned early on with the support of his family, to live life independently and without prosthetics.

Kyle thrives on physical challenges and following a few rough middle school football seasons; he went on to become a champion wrestler, CrossFit Certified Instructor and gym owner, competitive MMA/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, world record-setting weightlifter, and skilled mountaineer. In 2012, Kyle became the first quadruple amputee to climb – actually bear crawl – the 19,340 feet to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro without the aid of prosthetics. His 10-day ascent was widely covered by the press, followed on social media, and raised money and awareness for wounded veterans as well as Tanzanian schoolchildren. Upon his return, Kyle won his second ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) award for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.

Four years later, he reached the summit of Argentina’s breathtakingly beautiful and sometimes deadly Mount Aconcagua – the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres, standing at 22,838 feet. Following that epic summit, Nike featured Kyle in the powerful commercial “Unlimited Will,” which debuted globally during the 2016 Olympics, was viewed by millions around the world – and was part of the series that AdWeek named the most memorable of all commercials during the 2016 Olympics.

Kyle has not let his success be defined by anything or anyone but himself. He has lived his life striving to do more, learn more, push harder, go further—and to inspire others to do the same by sharing his story and living by example. Though he tailors his speeches to his audience, his messages are centered on building a life driven by purpose and meaning, the importance of the undying pursuit of dreams, and the belief that no obstacle is too great and nothing in their lives can keep them from accomplishing their goals.

Learn more at https://www.kyle-maynard.com/

Episode 1386: World's #1 Bowler: Jason Belmonte

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Episode 1385: NY Street Basketball Legend: Jackie Ryan

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Jack Ryan aka BlackJack was born in Brooklyn, NY and is a Basketball Entertainer/Motivational Speaker. He is a member of the world-famous Harlem Wizards for 24 years and has performed all over the world.

Jack grew up in Brooklyn New York and was always known for being good at basketball. In high school he was the star player and everyone around him thought he was going somewhere. His coach started getting him scouted and he got an offer from Ohio University but it was to go to a community college first get his grades in order and then play for them. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out because Jack ended up getting in trouble and getting kicked off the team and out of school. He then went home and tried to go to a few different colleges, but nothing ever panned out for him. Then one day in his late 20’s Jack was playing a pick up game with some friends and Peter Vecsey a basketball columnist for the New York Post saw him play and got a try out for him with the Nets. They wanted him to go to the C.B.A. but he got hurt before he could. After he was done rehabbing and getting better it seemed his time to play in the NBA had come to an end. He now has played for the Harlem Wizards for 24 years and finally gotten his life on track. He also is a motivational speaker and entertainer.

Jackie’s life story is being told in the new movie “BlackJack: The Jackie Ryan Story”, starring Greg Finley, Ashley Greene, David Arquette, Michael Rapaport, and Robert Davi.

Instagram: blackjackryan21

Episode 1384: NBA Champion Trent Tucker

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with 93' Chicago Bulls NBA Champion Trent Tucker. Trent talks with Derek about leadership skills necessary to build a championship team, how to manage egos, having Phil Jackson as a coach, the Trent Tucker Rule, and what it was like playing with his friends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Derek also talks with Trent about his 9 years playing with the NY Knicks.

Episode 1383: The Emigrant Edge with Brian Buffini

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Brian Buffini, author of the New York Times best-selling book, The Emigrant Edge: How To Make It Big In America.

Brian Buffini emigrated from Ireland at the age of nineteen, with only ninety-two dollars in his
pocket. Today, as the founder of Buffini & Company, the largest business training company in North America, he is one of the nation’s top business experts. In his engaging book, THE EMIGRANT EDGE: How To Make It Big In America (Howard Books, August 2017), he shares the secret of his success: a mix of seven qualities that make up what he calls the Emigrant Edge.

“Successful immigrants think and work differently than the average American,” Buffini writes. “When they leave everything behind, they keep their dream of success uppermost in their mind.” Through his own experiences as well as those of others, Buffini describes how the sacrifices made to come to America, the lack of a safety net, and the advantages of a fresh start, set the stage for success.

The good news for everyone, Buffini says, is that the seven traits immigrants share are wholly transferable, no matter where a person is born, or what his or her circumstances are.
“Imitating these traits will equip anyone to thrive and succeed,” he contends.

Learn more: https://www.brianbuffini.com/the-emigrant-edge.aspx

Episode 1382: TV Personality, Best-selling author, National Franchise Founder: Nick Friedman

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne interviews Nick Friedman. Nick has been featured on Oprah (2x), the hit tv show Shark Tank, Millionaire Matchmaker, and is the Co-Founder of College Hunks Hauling Junk.

World-class speaker, bestselling author, founder of a national franchise, and TV personality, Nick’s story is as incredible as they come. But what sets him apart is just how much fun he has along the way.

Nick talks with Derek about building a successful brand, working ON not IN your business, and intentionality in building your team and culture.

Over a decade ago, Nick co-founded College Hunks Hauling Junk, now a multi-million dollar national franchise. This success set off a chain of dominos, as Nick became not only an entrepreneur – but a dominant speaker, author, and TV personality as well.

Nick has been on Millionaire Matchmaker, The Pitch, House Hunters, Jobs That Don’t Suck, and Below Deck. Each “performed incredibly well compared to other episodes of those shows that had aired at the time”, according to Alan Moore, a Casting Agent from APA Agency.

Learn more at:

www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com

www.nickfriedman.com

Episode 1381: NASCAR - President of Joe Gibbs Racing - Dave Alpern

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek talks with Dave Alpern, President of Joe Gibbs Racing and author of Taking the Lead.

The president of Joe Gibbs Racing―the winningest team in NASCAR history―shares the secrets of succeeding in business and in life.
In NASCAR, as in life, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to being in the right place at the right time and making the most of every opportunity.

Nobody understands that better than Dave Alpern. Dave started his career as an unpaid intern selling T-shirts for the newly formed Joe Gibbs Racing team. Nearly three decades later, he’s now the president of JGR, a multimillion-dollar elite, record-setting racing team with more than 500 employees. In Taking the Lead, Dave shares the wisdom he’s learned along the way: key principles that will equip you with what you need to rise to the top and succeed with integrity and purpose―whatever team you’re on.

Episode 1380: Former vice chair of General Electric: Beth Comstock

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with Beth Comstock, former Chief Marketing Officer and then Vice Chair of Innovation at GE. For almost 3 decades Beth led efforts to accelerate new growth, develop digital and clean-energy futures, seed new businesses and enhance brand value.

As President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal , Beth oversaw TV ad revenue and digital media efforts, including the early development of hulu.com Prior to this, she held a succession of roles at NBC, CBS and CNN/Turner Broadcasting.

Beth is currently a director at Nike, trustee of The National Geographic Society, and former board president of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum.

Beth’s book “Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change” is an inspiring, fresh, candid, and deeply personal book about how to grapple with the challenges to change we face every day. It is a different kind of narrative, a big picture book that combines Comstock’s personal story in leading change with vital lessons on overcoming the inevitable roadblocks.

Learn more at https://www.bethcomstock.info/

Episode 1379: Brian Scudamore: Rockstar Entrepreneur & Franchising Genius

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Brian Scudamore. Brian talks with Derek about setting goals, hiring the right team, building a culture, and how he built his successful franchising empire.

Brian is a franchising genius and has built an empire of solid brands with a great team and authentic culture. O2E Brands is the banner company for home-service brands 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, You Move Me, and Shack Shine.

Brian started his business in Vancouver, Canada at the age of 18, and later went on to franchise 1-800-GOT-JUNK? as a way to expand operations. Today, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has 1000 trucks on the road throughout some 180 locations in Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Brian has received wide recognition in the media and business community. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has celebrated appearances on the highly-acclaimed Undercover Boss Canada, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, CNN, ABC Nightline, the Today Show, The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos, and the View. His story has been told in Fortune Magazine, Business Week, New York Times, Huffington Post, and Wall Street Journal, to name a few. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is currently the starring junk removal attraction on the hit A&E reality show, Hoarders. In addition to interviews and guest appearances, Brian contributes written articles on building a business and entrepreneurism to many national magazines, including a monthly column in PROFIT Magazine.

In 2004, Brian was inducted into the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) and served as a board member for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization (YEO). In 2007, Brian was honored to have been named the International Franchise Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year. Other accolades include Fortune Small Business’ Best Bosses Award, Globe & Mail’s Top 40 under 40, and a three-time winner of a prestigious “Best Company To Work For” award.

As a public speaker, Brian has brought his entrepreneurial success story to many conference stages, including the Fortune Small Business Magazine’s national conference. A strong believer in personal and professional development, Brian graduated from MIT's four-year Birthing of Giants program, and has subsequently completed several years of MIT’s BOG’s alumni program, Gathering of Titans. He is also a participant in a nine-year executive education program at Harvard University through YPO Presidents’ University.

Learn more at www.o2ebrands.com

Episode 1378: Former NBA team owner: George Maloof

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews noted businessman George Maloof. George is the former owner of the NBA Sacramento Kings, Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, and the NHL Vegas Golden Knights.

George discusses his NHL hockey team, how he deals with setbacks, what success looks like, and how important customer service is to his brand.

Episode 1377: Love is the Killer App: with New York Times best-selling author, Tim Sanders

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Tim Sanders.

Tim Sanders spent most of his early career on the cutting edge of innovation and change. He was an early stage member of Mark Cuban’s Broadcast.com, which had the largest opening day IPO in history. After Yahoo acquired the company, Tim was tapped to lead their ValueLab, and by 2001, he rose to Chief Solutions Officer. In 2005, he founded Deeper Media, which provides consulting services for leading brands. Today, he is one of the top-rated speakers on the lecture circuit.

Tim is the author of four books, including the New York Times bestseller Love Is the Killer App: How To Win Business & Influence Friends. It’s been translated into over a dozen languages and has been featured in Fast Company, USA Today, the New York Times, The Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and on CNN.

He’s a master storyteller who offers listeners actionable takeaways that produce results right away. That’s why he’s one of the top speakers on the lecture circuit.

Learn more at www.timsanders.com

Episode 1376: 2018 Songwriting Hall of Fame Artist: Steve Dorff

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

This is a must listen to episode!

Derek interviews 2018 Songwriter Hall of Fame Inductee, Steve Dorff. Steve talks with Derek about his personal journey, legendary career, dealing with personal tragedy, what success looks like, and stories of writing and working with the top musical artists of all time.

Steve also shares highlights from his new book "I wrote That One Too...A Life In Songwriting From Whitney To Willie". Order Steve's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Wrote-That-One-Too-Songwriting/dp/1495077292

3 time Grammy and 6 time Emmy nominated Steve Dorff has written songs sung by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Anne Murray, George Strait, Garth Brooks and countless others, while also establishing himself as a gifted film and television composer. He’s tallied over 40 BMI awards with hits like Rogers’ “Through the Years,” Murray’s “I Just Fall in Love Again” (Billboard’s top country hit of 1979), Strait’s “I Cross My Heart,” Lee Greenwood’s “Don’t Underestimate My Love for You,” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “Every Which Way But Loose”—the title track from Clint Eastwood’s 1978 film. His songs have charted in 5 successive decades, with #1 records across 4 decades.

Dorff has also composed TV music for Spenser: For Hire, Murphy Brown, The Singing Bee, Just the 10 of Us, Growing Pains, Murder She Wrote, Columbo and Reba; his other film contributions include songs and scores for Bronco Billy, Rocky IV, Pure Country, Tin Cup and Honky Tonk Man.
Key songs in the Dorff catalog include: * Through The Years * I Just Fall In Love Again * Heartland * Every Which Way But Loose * Hypnotize The Moon * I Cross My Heart, and countless others recorded by over 250 Artists from all genres of music.

His many TV and cable movie credits include the Emmy nominated CBS mini-series "Elvis", the Hallmark Hall of Fame "Rose Hill", the animated Christmas classic "Annabelle's Wish", "Babe Ruth", "The Quick and The Dead", "Moonshine Highway" and "The Defiant Ones". Dorff’s many movie songs and scores have been featured in "Bronco Billy", "Blast From The Past", "Rocky IV", "Pure Country", "Tin Cup", "Michael", "Dudley Do-Right", "Dancer, Texas", "The Last Boy Scout", "Curly Sue" and "Honky Tonk Man".

Perhaps Dorff’s most ambitious move to date has been a giant leap into his first love, musical theater. He currently has two projects making their way to the stage: "Josephine" (The Josephine Baker Story) and "Pure Country" (The Musical).

Episode 1375: Baseball legend Art Shamsky from the 69' Mets World Series Championship Team

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with baseball legend Art Shamsky. Art was a prominent player with the iconic 69′ Mets World Series Championship Team.

Be sure to order Art’s new MUST READ book: “After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the ’69 Mets”

Learn more at: http://artshamsky.com/

Episode 1374: The Go-Giver Marriage with John & Ana Mann

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

John

www.johndavidmann.com

instagram.com/johndavidmann

facebook.com/johndavidmann

twitter.com/johndavidmann

linkedin.com/in/johndavidmann

Ana

www.gogivermarriage.com

instagram.com/anagabrielmann

facebook.com/anagabrielmann

twitter.com/anagabrielmann1

Episode 1373: Melissa Lay: Shark Tank Veteran & Founder of SandiLake Clothing

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Episode 1372: Peter Winick: Thought Leadership Leverage

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, interviews Peter Winick.

Peter Winick is the Founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, a company that helps thought leaders turn foundational ideas into thriving businesses. He is an entrepreneurial-minded director who leverages the power of internal and external relationships, accelerating the growth
of aspiring thought leaders and exponentially increasing the value of their intellectual property. For over twenty years, Peter has worked with thought leaders to monetize their content by developing products and solutions applicable to large enterprises. Further, his accomplishments with start-ups, turnarounds, and M&A (in the b2b services sector) have equipped him with the ability to drive results using practical strategy, focused execution, and a disciplined method of cost control.

As an information junkie and avid reader of business books, he is capable of taking great content and creating a platform to best support it through a combination of art, science, logic, focus, passion and creativity.

Peter knows that visionaries, whether speakers, authors, corporate leaders, or just really smart people, need help with moving beyond one-book-one-gig. He’s here to bring you solutions.

Learn more at www.thoughtleadershipleverage.com

Episode 1371: Find Your Yellow Tux with Jesse Cole

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek talks with Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas. Jesse helps companies stand out by thinking different, creating attention and creating fans for life.

Jesse Cole, also known as “the guy in the yellow tuxedo” is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and the owner of the world-famous Savannah Bananas as well as the Party Animals and Firefighters.

With the mantra “Fans First. Entertain Always”, the Bananas are on a mission to Make Baseball Fun by creating the Greatest Show in Sports.

The team has sold out every game since their inaugural season in Savannah and has since grown a ticket waitlist of more than 2 million fans from all over the world.

With more than 15 million social media followers and features on such outlets as The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, HBO Real Sports and Access Hollywood in addition to Bananaland, a five-part documentary original series on ESPN+, the Savannah Bananas are just getting started.

Jesse is the proud inventor of the fastest and most entertaining game of baseball, Banana Ball. Banana Ball puts a fun twist on traditional baseball with new rules featuring a two-hour time limit, no walks, no bunting, no stepping out of the box, no mound visits and best of all, fans can catch a foul ball for an out.

He is the not-so-proud promoter of the Grandma Beauty Pageant, the Human Horse Race, the Living Pinata, and Flatulence Fun Night.

In addition to the wildly successful Banana Ball, Jesse continues to create raving fans all over the world as a best-selling author of “Fans First, Find Your Yellow Tux”, and as a highly sought-after international keynote speaker for some of the world’s largest and most respected organizations.

Most of all, Jesse is a raving fan of his wife, Emily, his 3 kids, and peerless promoters like Walt Disney and PT Barnum.

Episode 1370: David Lane: CEO of Lunatix

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne talks with David Lane, entrepreneur and CEO of Lunatix. David shares his entrepreneurial journey. He shares valuable advice about recognizing warning signs, knowing when to pivot, recognizing key opportunities within what you are already doing, and removing blinders.

Lunatix is the first ticket site where sports fans can buy the regular season and get the post season. They can buy concert or theatre tickets and get the post season.

Lunatix description: We are diehards, loyal, fanatical about our teams. We have to be at the biggest games... We are all Lunatix!

Lane’s professional experience includes twenty years of C-level experience and leading business units with a number of well-known sports and media businesses such as FanDuel, TouchTunes, and Outfront (Formerly CBS Outdoor).

David has been featured in several publications and is considered an expert in the sports ticketing industry frequently speaking on industry related topics and trends.

Learn more at https://lunatix.com/

Episode 1369: Shark Tank Veteran: Michael Dweck

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Derek Champagne chats with Michael Dweck. Michael, the co-founder of Basic Outfitters, was recently named to Forbes 30 under 30 list and has appeared on the ABC hit t.v. show Shark Tank. He talks with Derek about his entrepreneurial journey, defining success, and his experience in "the tank".

In 2014, Basic Outfitters co-founders Laura and Michael Dweck married and moved into a cozy apartment in NYC. It was quickly obvious whose clothing collection would take precedence in their precious and limited closet space. Michael’s eclectic and long-time accumulated sock and underwear assortment would have to go and be replaced by a fresh, new and curated collection of basics.

When it came time to refill his drawers, Michael was faced with the choice of expensive designer products or cheap, generic and poorly made basics, both of which would entail a stressful shopping experience. Michael and Laura recognized the overwhelming need for superior and affordable men’s essentials offered to customers in a convenient, easy-to-use way. And thus, Basic Outfitters was born.

Learn more at www.basicoutfitters.com

Episode 1368: Shark Tank Veteran, Evan Delahanty: Founder of Peaceful Fruits

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Shark Tank veteran Evan Delahanty. Evan is the Founder and Lead for Peaceful Fruits LLC, a social good startup that produces premium dried fruit snacks from sustainably-sourced acai. Evan shares his entrepreneurial journey, his approach to community engagement, and his experience on the hit ABC television show Shark Tank.

Learn more at www.peacefulfruits.com

Episode 1367: Shark Tank Veteran & Entrepreneur Beau Oyler

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

We spoke to Beau Oyler, Shark Tank Veteran and Entrepreneur recently. Beau talks with Derek about his experience on Shark Tank, building a successful company, and some valuable lessons he has learned along the way.
Having founded Enlisted Design and Urbio, he has created rich product and brand experiences for fortune 500’s and small startups. He pioneered the design cooperative movement and has a unique ability to truly collaborate with his partners. His designs have received every major design award including Red Dot, Spark, IDEA, GOOD Design, TheDieline, Wired Editor’s Choice and Best of Show at Dwell on Design.
Highlights:
- San Francisco Business Times “40 Under 40”
- Diablo Magazine “40 Under 40” San Francisco Business Times
- “Fastest Growing Private Companies in the SF Bay Area”
- Led the Honey Can Do acquisition of Urbio
- Enlisted named Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America by Entrepreneur Magazine

When not at Enlisted, you’ll find him cycling, surfing, hiking and exploring with his wife and two adventurous kids.
Learn more at www.enlisteddesign.com

Episode 1366: Sramana Mitra: One Million by One Million

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Sramana Mitra is the founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first and only global virtual incubator/accelerator. Its goal is to help a million entrepreneurs globally reach a million dollars in annual revenue, build a trillion dollars in global GDP, and create 10 million jobs.

Since its founding in 2010, 1Mby1M has become a powerful platform for democratization of entrepreneurship acceleration.

Sramana also developed 1Mby1M’s Incubator-in-a-Box methodology for Corporate Incubation that is used by enterprises to manage internal and external innovation endeavors.

In 2015, LinkedIn named Sramana one of their Top 10 Influencers alongside Bill Gates and Richard Branson.

Sramana has been an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in Silicon Valley since 1994. Her fields of experience span from hardcore technology disciplines like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Semiconductors, to sophisticated consumer marketing industries including e-commerce, fashion and education.

As an entrepreneur CEO, Sramana founded three companies: Dais (off-shore software services), Intarka (sales lead generation and qualification software using Artificial Intelligence algorithms; VC: NEA) and Uuma (online personalized store for selling clothes using Expert Systems software; VC: Redwood). Two of these were acquired, while the third received an acquisition offer from Ralph Lauren which the company did not accept.

As strategy consultant, Sramana has consulted with over 80 companies, including public companies such as SAP, Cadence Design Systems, Webex, KLA-Tencor, Best Buy, MercadoLibre and Tessera among others. Her work has also included numerous startups and VCs.

Sramana has a Masters degree in EECS from MIT and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from Smith College.

From 2000 to 2004, Sramana chaired the MIT Club of Northern California’s entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley.

Learn more at www.1Mby1M.com

Episode 1365: Christopher Lochhead: Legends & Losers

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 26 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne, CEO of The Artist Evolution, talks with Christopher Lochhead. Christopher is the co-author of Harper Collins’ “instant classic” Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets and he’s the co-host of the Legends and Losers podcast.

Christopher is a former three-time public company CMO and entrepreneur. Fast Company Magazine calls him a “Human Exclamation Point” and The Economist calls him “off-putting to some.” At 18 he got thrown out of school and with
no other options he started a company. After 30 years in business he’s mostly retired. From time to time he coaches a courageous CEO and exec team in category design and marketing. He can recite much of The Big Lebowski, but can’t remember his wife’s phone number. He’s an butt-kicking speaker, surf and ski bum and proud advisor to non-profit 1 Life Fully Lived, living happily ever after in Santa Cruz California.

Learn more at:
www.PlayBigger.com
www.Lochhead.com

Episode 1364: Non Profit Spotlight with NFL Standout Erik Coleman & Yolanda Robano-Gross

Business Leadership Series — Sun, 19 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode Derek Champagne talks with Options for Community Living CEO, Yolanda Robano-Gross, and NFL Standout, Erik Coleman. Yolanda and Erik share a spotlight on the current epidemic of mental health and homelessness, how their organization is addressing the problem, and how we can take action in our own communities. Learn more at https://optionscl.org/

Yolanda Robano-Gross joined Options for Community Living (Options) as Chief Executive Officer in 2014 with more than twenty years of prior executive-level experience within the health care industry. She is responsible for oversight of all agency affairs and reports to the Board of Directors. Responsibilities include fiscal management of an annual budget of over $24 million, personnel management, program development, and fundraising. She earned her master’s in health care administration from Hofstra University, master’s in social work from Yeshiva University, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Marist College.

She holds a certificate in Executive Education, Non-Profit Leadership from The Fordham Center for Non-Profit Leaders.

Erik Coleman is a former NFL standout, businessman, philanthropist, and sought-after sports analyst who uses his on-field experience, extensive knowledge of sports, and robust personality to bring new and exciting insight to fans across the globe.

After a stellar collegiate career as the captain of the Washington State football team, Coleman was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Jets in 2004. Coleman played nine consecutive seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and the Detroit Lions. Recognized for his unwavering work ethic and passion for the game, Coleman became the first New York Jets player ever to earn the NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Month Award since the honor’s inception in 1996 and finished his rookie season as the NFL’s highest grossing member of its performance-pay program, the league’s plan for rewarding low-salary players who outperform their contracts. During his NFL tenure, Coleman’s highlights include 653 combined career tackles and assists, 11 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 37 passes defended and served as the player-elected NFL Players Association Team Representative five out of his nine years in the league.

Since his retirement in 2013, Coleman has become a TV analyst for the New York Jets’ “Jets Pregame Central”, “Jets Post Game Show”, SiriusXM NFL Radio’s “Sunday Kickoff”, CBS NY’s “Jets Late Night” and MSG Network’s “The Betting Exchange.” He also frequently appears as a sports commentator on several sports shows and network programs such as The Sean Hannity Show and FOX & Friends.

Coleman is an active philanthropist who supports several causes close to his heart such as sickle cell anemia, pediatric cancer, mental health, and traumatic brain injury, to name a few. Most recently, Coleman started assisting The Alliance for Nonprofit Growth & Opportunity (TANGO) to help assist nonprofits grow through education, preferred services, and mission support. He is a board member for the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF) and a mentor for My Brother’s Keeper Mentorship Program. Moreover, Coleman is the proud recipient of Manhattan Youth Baseball Excellence in Sports & Philanthropy Award. When Coleman isn’t working or giving back to the community, he enjoys spending time with his wife Sabrina and their three beautiful children.