Real Leaders Podcast

Subscribe to Real Leaders+ to gain access to these events when they happen live: https://real-leaders.com/subscribeEmployee ownership isn’t just a trend—it’s a powerful strategy to drive growth, build alignment, and leave a lasting legacy. Darin Anderson, Chairman & CEO of Salas O’Brien, shares the company’s journey from single owner to closely held ownership, to an ESOP, and finally to a thriving direct ownership model with 90% employee participation. This session delivers actionable strategies to implement ownership models, engage teams, and create sustainable, employee-centric organizations that deliver exceptional results.Session Objectives:Underscore why employee-ownership is a valuable and beneficial model.Outline the key considerations and challenges of implementing employee ownership structures, including their impact on growth, culture, and financial performance.Explore effective communication strategies to align team members with the vision of ownership and build an ownership mindset.Share practical pathways for opening ownership opportunities to employees and fostering a sense of shared purpose.

Subscribe to Real Leaders+ to gain access to these events when they happen live: https://real-leaders.com/subscribeDiscover how Dan Green, CEO and co-founder of Helpsy, transformed his Wall Street expertise into a mission to keep clothes out of landfills while creating meaningful, impactful jobs. Learn how Helpsy’s unique model blends second-chance employment, incentive pay, and employee ownership to align efforts, inspire hard work, and foster accountability. Gain insights from Dan on overcoming challenges in building a purpose-driven company and why passion is key to driving lasting impact in business and sustainability.The Role of Incentive Pay and Employee Ownership in Driving Performance:Helpsy’s innovative approach aligns employees with the company’s mission by making them shareholders and offering incentive-based pay. This motivates accountability, fosters hard work, and creates a sense of ownership among employees.Challenges of Building a Purpose-Driven Business:Transitioning from Wall Street to building a sustainability-focused business came with hurdles, including operational complexities and balancing profitability with ethical practices. Passion and resilience were critical in overcoming these challenges.The Power of Purpose in Leadership and Sustainability:Dan’s journey illustrates how a clear mission—combining environmental action and meaningful work—can inspire leadership decisions, empower teams, and build a profitable yet impactful business model. Passion for the cause is a driving force behind Helpsy’s success.

Subscribe to Real Leaders+ to gain access to these events when they happen live: https://real-leaders.com/subscribeSpeaker: Top Impact Company CEO Brandon Schwertner of Priority PowerSession Description:Power demand is intensifying at a rate never seen before from emerging industries like AI. What is the balance in meeting this demand and underlying decarbonization goals? What does the world of energy look like decades into the future?Session Objectives:What does AI mean for power demand?What are common misunderstandings in the electricity market?What does the new political landscape look like (global, canada, US)?How does this impact the decarbonization movement/goals?Where does the power come from to meet the emerging demand?

Are you a LinkedIn Lunatic? On this episode, Kevin explores the underground of reddit which exposes the satirical humor of linkedin. Also, do you work on Saturday's? Perhaps you're fed up by today's hustle culture. Two takes on this. If you're still reading this perhaps you're curious about how to fire people. Kevin shares his experience in how to do it quick.

What do you do when you're working overtime doing someone else's job that you're not getting paid for? You're an entrepreneur who has so many ideas but you don't know where to focus.. where do you spend your time? You've just been appointed CEO but you're not ready.. what now?

In this episode, Kevin combs Reddit for a poor examples of leadership and finds an example that will make you never want to present again! By looking at criticism as a constructive learning tool, we can grow and mature in our roles.

In 2025 the Real Leaders Podcast shifts to focus on community questions and content tailored to our community to support real people with real work/life questions. If you're looking to become a better leader for a better world, subscribe to RL+ to get direct access to the practitioners in Real Leaders magazine online, subscribe here: https://real-leaders.com/subscribe

Ankur Edkie is the Co-Founder & CEO of Murf AI, an early-stage funded start-up working on simplifying voice audio and making high-quality voice overs accessible to everyone, using artificial intelligence. — Read the Magazine and Join the Community for Impact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠real-leaders.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apply for the The 2025 Real Leaders Impact Awards: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://real-leaders.com/top-impact-companies-2025/

Palash Soni is the CEO of Goldcast, an AI-powered B2B Video Campaign Platform that transforms marketing by putting video and events at the heart of the customer journey.  — Read the Magazine and Join the Community for Impact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠real-leaders.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apply for the The 2025 Real Leaders Impact Awards: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://real-leaders.com/top-impact-companies-2025/

Dr. Artika Tyner is the CEO & Founder of Planting People Growing Justice, an organization that is set on building strong communities by developing leaders and empowering them to discover their own leadership potential in order to make an impact in the world. — Read the Magazine and Join the Community for Impact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠real-leaders.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apply for the The 2025 Real Leaders Impact Awards: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://real-leaders.com/top-impact-companies-2025/