
Business Velocity - The Five Facets of Business™ Podcast
Hosts Hannah and Dave interview Small Business leaders, coaches, and consultants, exploring tools and methodologies for applying systems in your business in order to grow and scale.
Latest episodes

Mar 3, 2025 • 38min
'The Art of Post-Pandemic Leadership' with Christine Zmuda
This week we talk with Christine Zmuda! Through her insight we discuss the benefit of art in your work, how leaders have pivoted post pandemic and how business need to keep the human element in mind first.With over 30 years of sales and marketing leadership in Corporate America, Christine Zmuda has built a remarkable career at companies like Mobil Oil, Yammer, and Microsoft. In her most recent role as Chief of Staff for Microsoft’s North American Consulting business, Christine not only drove strategy but helped shape Microsoft’s approach to industry vertical growth. Her career includes a focus on innovation, with nearly half her time at Microsoft dedicated to scaling Mergers and Acquisitions globally. Most notably, she was instrumental in Microsoft’s $23.6 billion acquisition of LinkedIn, spearheading a global go-to-market strategy that transformed an idea into $300 million in revenue within LinkedIn's first product integration with Microsoft. Now as an executive coach, Christine guides business leaders to realize their full potential and take their teams performance from good to great. Christine also co-hosts the podcast Refirement Life, where she shares life strategies for finding joy and purpose, especially in midlife. In her spare time, Christine is a visual artist. If you would like to reach out to Christine or see her art, follow the links below:Magnet-LabsHer podcast Refirement LifeChristine's LinkedInChristine's Art GalleryTo find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

Feb 24, 2025 • 47min
'What is a Fractional Leader & Do I Need One?' with Karina Mikhli
This week is all about fractional CEOs. With our guest Karina Mikhli we discuss what a fractional leader even is and where to start, how important fostering your community can be and having outlets outside of work to connect your left and right brain.Karina Mikhli is a Professional Services and SaaS Fractional COO; Workflow Consultant; and Founder of Fractionals United. She has almost a decade of experience building, optimizing, and scaling small to midsize businesses and although she can (and has) managed and optimized most functions, she provides the most value by leading and focusing teams and streamlining and optimizing systems. Karina works best with founders looking for a right-hand partner who will manage and run the business while they focus on their areas of strength and interest. If you would like the resources mentioned in this episode and stay up to date with Karina follow the links below:Fractionals UnitedHer WebsiteKarina's LinkedInTo find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

Feb 17, 2025 • 38min
'Gen Z in Business and Leadership Resets' with Jaime Taets
This week we our guest Jaime Taets reflect on the importance of evolution in leadership, why businesses should embrace younger generations and how to take and how empathy can be applied in the work place.CEO, public speaker, Amazon Best Selling author, podcast host, and thought leader…in every one of these roles, Jaime Taets helps people reach their potential. She isn’t afraid to talk have “get real” conversations about the things that often limit people from achieving success. Jaime’s dedication to helping people leverage their strengths transcends her CEO role at Keystone Group International. As host of the Superpower Success Podcast, and the author of 2 best-selling books - You Are Here, Kick-Ass Inspiration for Navigating Your Journey to Success and The Culture Climb, How to Build a Work Culture that Maximizes your Impact, Jaime inspires action in people all over the world.Jaime has been named to Inc Magazine’s 200 top Female Founders list, a 100 Women to KNOW in America, and Twin Cities Business Notable Female Entrepreneurs. She is a regular contributor to Forbes and Authority Magazine. In addition to her awards and accolades, she has also summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, one of the seven summits and the highest point on the continent of Africa. If you would like to stay up to date with Jaime follow the links below:Jaime's PodcastJaime's WebsiteJaime's LinkedInTo find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

Feb 10, 2025 • 34min
'How to Live Your Ideal Life' with Mark Congdon
Mark Congdon, a former transportation logistics leader turned life coach, shares his insights on living an ideal life. He emphasizes the importance of small goals and the 'I Got This' framework for harnessing stress positively. Mark discusses aligning personal and professional growth through self-awareness and actionable steps. He highlights effective goal-setting strategies that transform lives and underscores the joy of reconnecting with one's true self amidst modern distractions. His blend of psychology and coaching offers a pathway to success.

Feb 3, 2025 • 30min
'The Rhythm of the Business' with Dave and Hannah
This week Dave and Hannah break down how setting a rhythm in your business can allow succinct and structured growth throughout the year. Through weekly, quarterly and yearly goals/meetings your business can see real time achievements (and failures). Allowing your team the benefit to keep what works and let go of what doesn't. Setting the pace and keeping up with your growth.To find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

Jan 27, 2025 • 42min
'Career Changes and Full Funnel Marketing' with Portia Mount
Awareness, Consideration and Preference. Three assets that fractional CMO Portia Mount uses to determine a companies marketing trajectory. In this weeks episodes she sheds light on finding her own entrepreneurial freedom, the importance of lining up departments with marking messaging and full funnel marketing.Portia Mount is an entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker, and founder of Mount Creative, LLC, a boutique fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) advisory. She held senior executive roles at Topcoder (NYSE: WIPRO), Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT) , and Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR). Portia is a bestselling author and 2x TEDx speaker. She co-authored “Kick Some Glass: Ten Ways Women Succeed at Work on Their Own Terms” and is the creator and host of Ungovernable Women podcast. If you would like to stay up to date with Portia follow the links below:Portia's LinkedInHer company Mount CreativeInstagram and Threads handle: @portiamountTo find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

Jan 20, 2025 • 41min
'Navigating Company Culture in a Political Time' with Brittany Drozd
This week is all about culture. In this episode Dave and Hannah talk with Brittany Drozd and expert on culture. They tackle everything from cultivating a change of culture in the workplace, how to create a safe space for ideas and how a company should handle a politically charged climate.Brittany is a distinguished CEO Thought Partner and Culture Change Catalyst with a track record of facilitating successful culture transformations and talent retention strategies. Backed by evidence-based practices and a scientific approach, Brittany brings a wealth of experience and expertise to drive tangible and sustainable results.If you would like to stay up to date with Brittany, follow the links below:Be sure to check out her podcast The Eye Openers PodcastBrittany's LinkedInHer websiteTo find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

Jan 13, 2025 • 35min
'How to Scale Through Taking Risks' with Eric Newell
Today we bring family to the table! This week we feature Eric Newell, brother to host Dave Newell. Eric talks about his process in scaling through the middle phase of company growth, taking consistent risk and hiring skilled workers even if you don't know where to put them yet.Eric Newell is the CEO and co-founder of Stoneridge Software, a Microsoft partner specializing in implementation, consulting, and support for Microsoft Dynamics Business Applications and technologies. What started as a three-person organization in 2012 has scaled to 300 people. Stoneridge Software is now the #7 Microsoft Business Application partner in the US and part of Microsoft's Inner Circle and Partner Advisory Council. Prior to founding Stoneridge, Eric spent 13 years at Microsoft starting as a support engineer and working his way up to Support Operations Manager and ultimately the Premier Field Engineering Manager for the Dynamics ERP applications across North America. If you would like to stay up-to-date with Eric Newell follow the links below:Eric's LinkedInStoneridge's WebsiteEric's Book - Mastering Microsoft Dynamics 365To find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell

8 snips
Jan 6, 2025 • 39min
'Storytelling: A Critical Business Skill' with Marie Quintana
Marie Quintana, an accomplished author and business leader with three decades in Corporate America, shares her insights on the transformative power of storytelling in business. She reflects on her migration journey from Cuba, illustrating resilience and identity. Marie discusses her mission to empower women and immigrants through shared narratives and initiatives like the Women of Color Alliance. She emphasizes mentorship, authentic connections, and the role of personal stories in fostering inclusive workplaces and enhancing company culture.

Dec 30, 2024 • 24min
'You Can't Scale Yourself' with Dave and Hannah
Season 2 is here!! In our season opener Hannah and Dave discuss what they hope to learn in Season 2 and what they gained from Season 1. They go further in sharing the pitfalls of shouldering your entire company as a young start up. It can seem valiant at first but it is far from sustainable.Thank you for joining us again and be on the look out for new episodes every Monday!To find more information on The Five Facets and Evolve Leadership Consulting visit the link here or email us at info@theevolvedifference.comHosts: Dave Newell & Hannah Pniewski Produced by: Dave Newell, Hannah Pniewski and Christopher Paul Smith Edited by: Christopher Paul Smith Coordination: Katie Newell