Do you ever wish you could reinvent yourself and change your life? Do you ever wonder what it takes to embrace change and reinvent yourself for a successful and fulfilling life? Ron Fong is the President and CEO of the California Grocers Association, and it took him 10 years to finally answer that question. In this episode, he shares some of his wisdom along the way. Take a listen.

As the Vice President of Customer Service Excellence (SVE) for the Tax & Accounting North America division at Wolters Kluwer, Laurent leads system, process and talent optimization strategy through multi-disciplinary teams that accelerate business performance, customer experience and financial results. He also drives customer experience and software support strategy for technology, knowledge management and technical support delivery for SVE TAA North American business units.

Lorenzo Flores is a twenty-year veteran in retail leadership. He has rejuvenated, inspired, and rebuilt over a dozen teams throughout his career. With a passion for music, MMA, and podcasting, he understands the importance of connecting personal vision to the workplace. He focuses a lot on helping others become confident and advocate for themselves and what they do, ultimately helping them stand out. Take a listen.

Sonya Crockett is a Crew Relations Regional Leader at Raising Cane's, a quality chicken finger franchise with over 530 locations. In this episode, she returns for her second appearance on the Leadership with Heart podcast to discuss her new position and what it means to Lead by Heart and how Raising Canes ONE LOVE® tagline shows up in every aspect of the business. 

Trent Selbrede returns to the Leadership with Heart Podcast to talk about leadership and what that means in the hospitality world. Trent is the General Manager of Marriott International, and he discusses what the hospitality world went through during the pandemic, what they've learned, what they are doing the same, and what they are doing differently. 2022 was his hotel's best year, and in this podcast, he shares some of the knowledge he's acquired from his episode from a couple of years ago to now. Much of that is becoming more of a leader with 'Heart.' Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather speaks with Cynthia Grant, Chief Clinical Officer at AllHealth Network, about her surprising and traumatic background, the lens that he sees the world and thus engages with her people and a time when she was not the best leader she could be. Cynthia shares tremendous leadership tips, but just listening to her is inspirational.

In this episode, I discuss my resolutions for the new year and how to make them a reality. My resolutions for 2023 include speaking at bigger speaking events, changing people's mindsets on leadership, and becoming a New York Times best-selling author with my new book The Art of Active Listening. I dive into the strategies and tactics I am using to achieve these goals. This is an episode you won't want to miss for inspiration, motivation, and actionable advice for a successful 2023!

Suzette is the founder and CEO of Patriot Angels. Patriot Angels is a third-party resource that assists Veterans and their widows in obtaining the VA Benefit Aid & Attendance. This benefit is designed to help supplement their long-term care costs allowing them to afford the care they need and deserve in all areas of continuous care (In-Home Care, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing Care).

Suzette has always been an advocate for the vulnerable and for those who cannot advocate for themselves. We streamline the application process to ensure our nation's heroes get the care they deserve as soon as possible. Take a listen. 

Amy Frampton is the Head of Marketing at BambooHR, after spending more than 15 years in technology and marketing leadership roles in the greater Seattle area. Previously, she was the VP of Product Marketing at Smartsheet, a leading work management software company. Before that, she served in marketing and leadership positions at Vulcan (the holding company founded by Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen), Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Microsoft.

Eric Elkins is a strategist, author, professional speaker, and CEO of WideFoc.us Social Media, a Denver-based agency he founded in 2007. His team drives tangible results for B2B tech/SaaS companies, B2B consumer brands, the home services industry, nonprofits, and global corporations. For more than 15 years, Eric has helped companies grow their visibility and increase revenue. He writes the occasional novel, hosts Denver food faves at denverlicious.com, and loves to share his eating and travel adventures on Instagram as @ericelkins.

Sarah Wilson is an entrepreneur, mother of three and Co-Founder of Chip Cookies. A graduate from The George Washington University – School of Business, Sarah founded Chip Cookies in 2016 with the loving support of her husband, Sean.

There is a part where she gets the email wrong, so look out for that. Happy Friday! 🙂 Heather chats directly with her listeners about the journey that this podcast has been so far. She asks the listeners to weigh in and give their thoughts on what they think about the future of the podcast episodes - should she do them alone, always have guests, what topics do they want to hear about?

All suggestions can be emailed to heather@employeefanatix.com. Take a listen and leave your thoughts!

Heather chats directly with her listeners and reflects back to 5 years ago when she was at a crossroads while struggling to work her 9 to 5 and pursue her dream of working as an entrepreneur at the same time. Her dream was always to build her own business - which she has! Employee Fanatix (at the time, it was named Customer Fanatix) was born 5 years ago, and she hasn't looked back since. Here are some of her reflections... 

Dr. David Bradley Co-Owner, Lake Oconee Dentistry Dr. David Bradley has over two decades of experience in the practice of general dentistry.  He is an alumnus of the Dawson Academy and has been trained by the Seattle Institute of Advanced Dental Education.

Dr. David has also completed various programs through the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. Since going into private practice with his wife, Dr. Patti Bradley, in 1998, Dr. David has completed over 1,300 hours of post-graduate education. Dr. David enjoys multiple leadership roles with many local and national civic and Christian organizations. He enjoys traveling, as well as donating his time and talents to others.

Lucinda (“Cindy”) Baier is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Brookdale Senior Living, the nation's premier operator of senior living communities. The company's 40,000+ employees are taking care of America's seniors and, in 2020, Fortune magazine ranked Brookdale as one of the top 200 largest publicly listed employers in the country.

Ms. Baier became Brookdale's President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors on February 28, 2018. From the beginning, she initiated the company's operational turnaround strategy and developed the “Winning Locally” action plan.

As CEO, she led the company through the largest public health crisis in 100 years by prioritizing the health and wellbeing of its residents, patients and associates. She focused the company’s efforts on increasing diversity, including the Board and executive leadership team approaching gender parity in 2020. Take a listen. 

Shahpour Nejad immigrated from Iran to the USA at 16 years old where he attended high school and college. During his college years, he began working at a local pizza restaurant, where he gained a passion for the pizza business. Although Nejad earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, he decided to pursue his love for pizza and opened Pizza Guys with his partner, Reza Kalantari. The company has grown from a single-store operation opened in 1986 to over 80 locations in three states

Stephanie oversees all Human Resource activities and responsibilities worldwide, allowing the firm to further embrace evolving trends in career development, diversity and inclusion, analytics, and other areas changing the traditional landscape of HR. She is a member of the Hines Senior ESG Leadership Council, leading the firm’s social responsibility effort globally.

In this episode, Heather chats with Brandon Powell, a business executive, technology entrepreneur, and community philanthropist who helps transform organizations to be successful in today’s digital world.

He is the founder and CEO of HatchWorks Technologies, a technology services firm that provides integrated US and nearshore (LATAM) Agile teams in your time zone to build transformative software and data solutions. Before founding HatchWorks, Brandon amassed over 20 years of executive leadership and digital product development experience, most notably as Head of Product at AT&T, where his teams launched more than 100 produ

In this episode, Heather chats with JD Busch, CEO "Chief Energy Officer" at Pulse Performance, a 30-minute tech-driven fitness solution. JD was involved in an accident in 2020. As a hard-working entrepreneur, JD already knew there are no shortcuts in life, especially his recovery.

After reading and researching different methods of rehabilitation and training, JD came across Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS). Widely known across Europe, this unique tech-driven fitness solution seemed to be exactly what JD was looking for.

After multiple sessions, JD made major strides in his recovery and a drastic reduction in chronic pain. His muscles were reactivated and strong; his traumatic accident was now in the rearview mirror.   In 2021, JD started Pulse Performance. Take a listen. 

In this episode, Heather sits down with Michael Yinger. Michael is the co-founder and COO at Resume Sieve, an HR tech startup. Michael is a forward-thinking executive with 20+ years of experience building teams, managing global organizations, and providing strategic guidance to the C-Suite and Board of Directors. Take a listen. 

Jonathan Barnett is the founder and President of Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning, one of the nation’s fastest-growing carpet cleaning franchises. Founded in 2006, Oxi Fresh has nearly 500 locations across the United States and Canada and is adding many new franchises every year.

Under his leadership, Oxi Fresh has received numerous awards and accolades from Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, Franchise Update Magazine, and other industry watchers. Much of this success is because of their style of leadership. Take a listen. 

In this episode, Heather chats with Chief Master Sergeant Christopher J. Almeria. He is currently assigned as the Senior Enlisted Leader, 20th Maintenance Group, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC. In this role, he is charged with leading, developing, and managing the nearly 2,000 personnel who make up the Air Force’s lead Viper maintenance complex in Air Combat Command and the lead/pacing F-16 maintenance organization in the entire United States Air Force. Take a listen!

In this episode, Heather sits down with Brent Kondritz, the Executive Director at the University of Dayton Center for Leadership, a unique and powerful resource created by the region's most successful organizations. Together, they partner with top thought leaders to provide innovative, world-class education to senior executives, emerging leaders, front-line supervisors, and professionals. Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Adrian Taylor, the Director of Diversity for Premier Health in Dayton, Ohio. Adrian Taylor leads programming that supports Premier's commitment to diversity and inclusion with an emphasis on workforce diversity, supplier diversity, patient diversity, and community engagement. His commitment to diversity has even earned him several prestigious awards. Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Elijah German, Head of Sales at Uniform Teeth. Elijah is a seasoned sales and business development leader that is passionate about building meaningful customer and employee relationships. His ability to identify and implement data-driven strategies leads to greater customer satisfaction and increased revenue.

Elijah has worked for companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area along with his wife, Aileen, and 3 children. Elijah is also an advocate for children on the Autism Spectrum, supporting localized events when possible.

In this episode, Heather chats with Ena Patel, the Director of Games Planning & Delivery for LA28, the joint venture tasked with executing the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She has a passion for connecting people & the community, as well as paving the way for women and minorities in the sports industry. Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather chats with Dan Gray, a Toronto-based Product/Growth Marketer with a passion for building and scaling consumer products by leveraging technology. He currently leads the Growth team at Kotn and enjoys the opportunity to help consumers discover and engage with brands.

With over 10 years of experience scaling both B2C and B2B brands, he has been able to be successful by building great teams, challenging assumptions, and continuously learning along the way. He has a passion for technology, marketing, and commerce and always welcomes the opportunity to discuss and debate many of the exciting changes these industries are experiencing.

In this episode, Heather sits down to talk with Nana Appiah, Director of Development Services for Mesa, Arizona. Before his current position, Nana served as the City's Planning Director.

During his tenure with the City, he has helped the City effectively implement and restructure its planning and development functions for optimum performance and adopt various land-use policies to improve the built environment and economic development. His experience in city planning has taught him a lot about what leadership truly is.

Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Misty Guinn, Director of Customer Advocacy at Benefitfocus, a data-driven, cloud-based software solutions for health care and benefits administration. Their mission is to improve lives with benefits that focus on people and culture.

Misty believes that leaders can learn exactly what their people need by asking the right questions. After all, it all starts with listening. During her interview with Heather, Misty talks about her leadership journey, why she describes herself as a "recovering perfectionist," and more. Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Whiting Dimock, her long-time friend, and former law school classmate. Whiting started her career in a big law firm, where she spent a few years before transitioning into a corporate setting. During that time, she worked for a commercial real estate company and eventually switched to work on the people side of the law business. After some years, she moved back to Boulder, CO to work as the dean of students, where she is currently. She's now preparing to transition out of her current role to start a law firm with her partner in January. 

In this episode, Heather sits down with Shawn Lalehzarian, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at The Red Chickz. The Red Chickz is a Nashville Hot Chicken franchise restaurant that Shawn founded in 2018. Before that, Lalehzarian spent over 20 years in the restaurant industry - starting off as a dishwasher and proving himself worthy at every position, ultimately leading him to where he is today. Take a listen.  

In this episode, Heather interviews JC Hite, the founder, and CEO of Hite International. Hite International is a holding company focused on marketing & communications worldwide, and Hite Digital is a fast-growing digital marketing agency in the U.S. JC believes that his success is found in 3 core pillars: Truly caring about people, knowing how to balance work, family & faith, and having a commitment worth fighting for. Their sole purpose was to create stability in Latin America. Take a listen.

Heather sits down with Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks, Creator, and CEO of KeepWOL, an experiential talent development platform that maximizes cultural intelligence in the workplace.

Keep Wondering Out Loud is a verified, measurable, and cost-effective talent development platform that fosters inclusion within remote, hybrid, and in-person teams. They use a digital library of live multiplayer games to enable guided immersive experiences that develop employees and cultivate engagement.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Shafik Mina, President and Co-Owner of the Mad Science® Group and Co-Founder of 2inspireTM and Crayola® Imagine Arts Academy TM. Shafik’s company wants to inspire kids and get them interested in science, all while making it fun. He claims that they are “a business with heart” that wants to inspire children through science, and spark lifelong imagination and curiosity. Take a listen!

In this episode, Heather sits down with Mareo for the second time to discuss his new book and what it's all about. His book, Really Care for Them, is all about changing the way sales is done.

Mareo's full-time job is the Revenue Leader for the software firm Movemedical where he leads the Customer Success, Sales, and Marketing divisions. He's had over 15 years of experience in sales. He's very interested in the intersection of organizational health, individual success/performance, revenue, and how they all interact with each other.

By focusing on those three things and how they connect he feels that he will add the most unique value to the people he interacts with. He believes sharing knowledge is the second half of learning, and he reads over 100 books a year!

In this episode, Heather sits down with Susan J. Schmitt Winchester, the CHO of Applied Materials. On paper, Susan has an impressive corporate success story. With over 30 years of upward trajectory, her succession of increasingly powerful roles reflects her growing influence. Her presence and career trajectory have been remarkable. But, she claims that the people who know her best know that she spent her days and years in deep fear. She now teaches executives and professionals how to succeed by discovering greater self-acceptance, fulfillment, and joy at work and in life.

In this interview, Heather sits down with Jahanzaib Ansari, the Co-founder and CEO of Knockri. Jahanzaib's company, Knockri was founded because of the discrimination he faced in the hiring process because of his ethnic name and his desire for others not to experience any discrimination. He really wanted to make the hiring process as equal as possible for all candidates. His company is an AI-powered behavioral assessment tool that diminishes systemic bias at scale by creating a more diverse and equal workforce. Take a listen.  

In this episode, Heather interviews Matthew Raidbard, Ed.D. the College Athletics Administrator at Hartford University, author of "Lead Like A Pro" and owner of Raidbard Sports Leadership Consulting.

Dr. Raidbard completed his Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Chicago State, with his dissertation focusing on determining the best leadership style and behaviors for athletic coaches to practice. His findings were the inspiration for his book, “Lead Like A Pro,” where he helps inform coaches about leadership practices and teaches them how to align their perceived and actual leadership styles and behaviors, allowing them to become more intentional and effective leaders.

In this episode, Heather interviews Nick Lopez, the founder of Lime. LIME Painting is the first and only national high-end painting company. LIME is a franchise brand with a social enterprise in LIME Light Outreach, Inc. that gives franchisees a platform to give back to their local community's youth through LIME Light's Four Pillars of Knowledge: Faith, Family, Patriotism, and Prosperity. Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather interviews Rich Gassen, a Print Production Manager at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He’s also a friend, supporter, and devoted life-long learner. In 2018, Heather and Rich had the pleasure of having Rich as a guest on episode 32, and in this episode, they reflect on how much they've grown since. Rich considers himself a life-long learner and even went back to college at the age of 40.

In this episode, Heather sits down with Peter Carlson, a Partner at Pet Evolution Franchising. A franchise that focuses heavily on “Helping Pets Live the Good Life!" by providing the best food, care, and supplies for pets. Located in the cities of Arden Hills and Woodbury, MN, they provide all-natural pet food as well as a wide variety of interactive toys that keep pets fit and active. Caring leadership isn't just about humans. Take a listen!

Heather interviews Barbara Lovejoy SHRM-CP, PHR, who is the Director of Human Resources at Otelco. Barbara's parents instilled in her a passion for leadership and caring for others at an early age. Today, as Director of Human Resources, she strives to remain true to that behavior. As a leader, Barbara believes everyone has the best of intentions - and that's how she approaches her work. Plus, Barbara asks Heather two juicy questions as part of a new segment called “Ask Heather Anything”.

In this episode, Heather interviews Dr. Karaneh Jahan, who received her baccalaureate degree in Public Health with a minor in Spanish from Portland State University. She later attended Oregon Health and Science University where she obtained her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.

Dr. Kararen Janah worked at seven different dental practices in the span of two years in the search for a non-toxic work environment. After two years of working in negative work environments, she finally decided to open up her own practice. Dr. Jahan is also a certified Holistic Health and Lifestyle coach, helping her clients achieve their healthy mind and body goals, and ultimately to lead happier lives.

In this episode, Heather interviews Asif Sadiq MBE, Head of Equity and Inclusion at WarnerMedia International. Before working at WarnerMedia, Asif has worked at numerous industry-leading companies such as Adidas, Reebok, and The Telegraph. He is also an author, LinkedIn Influencer, Board Member, and TEDx Speaker. His home country is Kenya, but he studied at university in London and currently lives there.

He credits his first experience with leadership to his university years when he realized that he and his international classmates were deprived of a voice and decided to take action. Since then, he has continued his path in the DEI space as an employee and a consultant.

As Heather approaches her 50th birthday and looks back on her life, she shares her reflections with her listeners. She reflects on her decisions, especially after COVID, and how they have led her to where she is today. In her own words, she now feels more in line with her journey than ever before. She regards the Caring Leadership Ecosystem (the book, the community, and the academy) as one of her greatest accomplishments because they are creating the impact she has always envisioned. Are you part of the community yet?

In this episode, Heather speaks directly to her listeners about the importance of creating safe spaces. Although its importance is often overlooked, a safe space means that the leaders have taken the time to listen, to connect, and to communicate effectively in order to understand what their people's needs are. Take a listen. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Safe spaces are necessary for a healthy and productive work environment. 
• Safe spaces require listening and fostering a relationship. 
• Leaders must understand their people's needs and wants. 
• Learning how to create a sense of belonging will help your team grow. 

In this episode, Heather interviews Mikki Gates who is a Strategic & Inclusive People & Culture Leader for over 6 casino properties and a TEDxManitouSprings Curator. While her two occupations keep her pretty busy, they are a good balance since she gets the best of both worlds. She prides herself on being a servant leader, as well as a results-driven one. Mikki believes it's important to be both - contrary to what many people believe. Take a listen to hear how she’s able to manage being an empathetic leader while also holding her employees accountable for their actions.

In this episode, Heather speaks directly to her listeners about the struggles that come with being a compassionate and caring leader. This applies in and out of the home for Heather - in this episode, she opens up about parenting, how compassion fatigue has affected her in the past, and more. Take a listen.

In this episode, Heather speaks directly with her listeners about the importance of reframing our mindsets around leadership. Being a leader can sometimes be seen as a hassle due to the hard work involved. It's a hard thing to do. But when we reframe the way we think about leadership, it can be both exciting and rewarding. Here are some tips.

In this episode, Heather interviews Stace Williams, a global leadership consultant and Caring Leadership Community Coach. Stace’s passion lies in helping leaders grow by enabling them to see and actualize their potential. Her experience spans five continents, 17 countries, and a wide range of industries, including aerospace, biopharma, defense, energy, finance, healthcare, insurance, technology, and telecommunications. 

Heather interviews Cordelia Gaffar - Emotions Opener Coach, Creator of Replenish Me ™, Speaker, Author of Detached Love, Co-Host of the Unlearning Labels Podcast, and a Caring Leadership Community Coach. Cordelia also is the mother of 6 children and left Corporate America after her third child to focus on raising her children. Her story began 18 years ago, and her expertise is just the right blend of corporate, family, and community. She is a firm believer in self-care, and in this episode, you’ll see why.

In this episode, Heather interviews Garry Turner - friend, Caring Leadership Coach, and International Product Manager for IMCD Group. Garry shows up in his most authentic self in this episode. As you can tell from the first 5 minutes of listening, Garry is someone who believes being vulnerable is the key to connection and community. Take a listen to these rich 20 minutes of work, personal, and life advice from two strangers from across the globe who have developed a genuine friendship. 

Key Takeaways: 

• We are more than just our job titles.

• Community is essential for our well-being. 

• School doesn’t teach emotions, we must teach ourselves.

• Practicing being vulnerable will help build the vulnerability muscle. 

• Empowerment and delegations are not the same.

• The Caring Leadership Community is a place to rely on for answers.

In this episode, Heather interviews Nick Boulas, Director of Leadership Development at BBL Hospitality. Nick has been in the hospitality industry for over 40 years and is now the Director of Leadership Development with BBL Hospitality for over 22 hotels and 15 restaurants. Nick Boulas is originally from Horseheads, NY, where he grew up in the Greek diner business. He then went on to study Hospitality Management at Niagara University. 

Nick has been on a mission for the last 20 years to improve workplace culture by working with individuals and teams to bring about positive change. He believes in caring leadership and works to develop his employees into the best leaders they can be.

Key Takeaways:

• Surround yourself with family and friends that understand your devotion to your team members.
• Always be on the lookout for potential leaders in development.
• Look for the greatness in your current employees.
• Honesty and transparency will always lead to more meaningful results.
• Making others feel great will make you feel great in return. Gratitude becomes a ripple effect.

In this episode, Heather interviews Brooke Erol, Consultant, Author, Trainer, Chief Purpose Officer. Brooke is originally from Istanbul, Turkey, but has lived in San Diego for the past few years. She is the author of Create a Life You Love: Reflections on Living Life to the Fullest and From Hierarchy to High Performance: Unleashing the Hidden Superpowers of Ordinary People to Realize Extraordinary Results. 

Heather chose Brooke Erol to be one of the Caring Leadership coaches because, as you will see from this episode, she is someone who naturally cares for her people. She believes Caring Leadership is what organizations are currently missing. 

In this episode, Brooke shares her journey to finding her purpose and what she has learned along the way. Now she focuses on helping others to do the same.

In this episode, Heather interviews Brian Kelly, People, Leadership, Strategy & Team Development Consultant, Mindset Coach, Speaker, Facilitator, Author, Unleashing Your Human Greatness, Strengthening the ❤️ of Business™. Heather has always been impressed by Brian’s natural Caring Leadership traits, which is why he is now a Caring Leadership Community coach! In this episode, Brian opens up about his journey and the difficulties he faced along the way. 

Key Takeaways:

• Being vulnerable is part of being human. 

• There is no such thing as feminine and masculine energy. 

• Vulnerability isn’t difficult; it’s the negative connotation that we place on it that makes it difficult. 

• Many people aren’t aware of the inner work that is needed to reach their goals. 

• Human-centered leadership is Caring Leadership. 

• The Caring Leadership Community is a safe space to get insightful feedback from coaches like Brian.

In this episode, Heather interviews Kizzy Parks, Ph.D., CEO of KPC, GovCon Winners, AmPar, AdultFluent, and Host of the AdultFluent℠ podcast. Her newest company GovCon Winners works to help small businesses win profitable government contracts.