Grow Strong Leaders Podcast

Have you considered starting a business—or do you run one now? In either case, my conversation with Sylvana Caloni and Paul O’Donnell is a must-listen. They share essential lessons learned from the starting up and closing down of a premium pie business. Their insights can help you avoid pitfalls and increase your chances of long-term success.Sylvana and Paul co-authored Humble Crumbles: Savouring the Crumbs of Wisdom from the Rise and Fall of Humble Pie to tell the story of Paul’s failed business venture. Paul provides a raw account of his journey as an entrepreneur with his company, Humble Pie, and Sylvana supplements his narrative with observations and suggestions based on her dual lenses as an equity analyst and leadership coach. They embrace the one word we tend to avoid in life and in business: failure. You’ll discover: Why “failure” is not a negativeThe importance of self-awareness for entrepreneurs to be successfulWhy you must consider the downsides when creating a business planHow to make the most of mentors and advisors when starting and running a businessThe value of making a BIG askCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

What if you could increase your emotional intelligence and expand your self-awareness? That’s the journey my guest Jon Hunter traveled in advancing from salesperson to Chief Revenue Officer. You’ll be drawn in by Jon’s truth-telling around topics like self-awareness, feedback, and creating safety and trust. Get ready to take notes because Jon drops a lot of nuggets you’ll want to remember and apply. Jon has held positions like Chief Revenue Officer and Senior VP of Sales in various enterprise software companies over the past 25 years. Now he’s passionate about developing the next generation of leaders, and he started The Hunter X Podcast to share insights gained from his experiences. Jon’s podcast is packed with nuggets you can use every day, in just 8-12 minutes per episode. I highly recommend you subscribe and read all his posts on LinkedIn. You’ll discover: Why leaders must create safety and trust early on when working with a new teamThe #1 stumbling block for leaders who want to advance to the next levelHow Jon developed his emotional intelligence to become a highly effective leaderThe most important trait John looks and listens for when interviewing job candidatesThe value of getting feedback throughout your careerCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you struggle to achieve what you want in life? My guest Tim Shurr understands what holds most people back. He’s worked with more than 10,000 people in his career as a hypnotist and therapist, and in a very short time, he’s helped people break behavior patterns that have plagued them for decades. You’ll love Tim’s caring, confident approach in working with clients and be amazed at the results he helps them achieve. Tim is one of the top Hypnotists in the world and author of 6 books including The Power Of Optimism, Get Out Of Your Way, Losing Weight Without Losing Your Mind, and One Belief Away! He’s also the host of the podcast, How to Be Mesmerizing. Tim is improving the lives of people around the world with his revolutionary One Belief Away method. His personal mission is to make the world a happier place by helping millions of people end needless emotional suffering. You’ll discover: The role unconscious beliefs play in our actions and resultsThe #1 limiting belief that almost everyone hasWhy affirmations alone won’t help you change a beliefTim’s 5-step process for upgrading a beliefWhy kindness towards ourselves and towards others is so importantCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you have a consistent, intentional reading habit? If not, my guest Jeff Brown will help you appreciate the power of establishing one! Jeff describes the impact that books have had on his career and life. He’s the host of the popular Read to Lead Podcast, where he interviews today's best business and non-fiction authors, such as actor and author Alan Alda, Seth Godin, John Maxwell, Brian Tracy, and more than 300 others (including me!). In our conversation, Jeff shares many practical tips that will make it easier for you to remember and apply what you read.Jeff is an award-winning radio producer and personality, and former nationally syndicated morning show host. Following a 26-year career in radio, Jeff went boss-free in 2013 and soon after launched his podcast. He’s the co-author of the book, Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career.You’ll discover: Why it’s important for leaders to be readersHow reading can help you expand your influence and boost your careerWhat’s behind the resistance some people feel towards readingHow to create a consistent, intentional reading habitWork-arounds for reading a 200-page book in an hourCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Think back to a time when you were anxious about addressing an issue with someone at work. How long did you put it off? My guest Roberta Matuson has written a powerful book to help you prepare for and have those challenging conversations. In her interview, we discussed the important, practical guidance she provides in her latest book, Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work. We took a deep dive into the topics of confidence, clarity of preparation, compassion, and curiosity. You are sure to pick up tips that you can use next time you need to have one of those difficult discussions. Roberta is president of Matuson Consulting. For more than 25 years, she’s been helping organizations like General Motors and Microsoft achieve dramatic growth through the maximization of talent. And that’s why she’s known worldwide as The Talent Maximizer. She’s the author of six commercially published books and an executive coach who leads her clients to reduce the time and stress often associated with speaking up to a boss, coworker or direct report.You’ll discover: The impact that the Great Resignation has had on open, honest communicationsHow to plan for the worst and expect the bestThe kinds of conversations people avoid having with each other…and whyQuestions you can ask yourself to gain clarity about the purpose and desired outcomes for a conversationWhy empathy and compassion are key elements in building trust in work relationshipsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

How can you combine a service orientation with marketing to build strong relationships? My guest Janice Porter has a winning approach that works really well for her and for her clients. Janice is all about relationships! She’s passionate about helping people build their businesses through relationship marketing and networking, using both online and offline strategies. I loved her focus on giving first, and so will you.During our conversation, Janice shares specific strategies she recommends for making your presence on LinkedIn more powerful and effective. She also describes how she uses SendOutCards to stay in touch with people she’s met, to provide the kind of mail that always gets opened. Janice is also the host of the Relationships Rule Podcast, where she interviews people who share her passion for building strong business relationships. I highly recommend her show.You’ll discover: How Janice defines Relationship Marketing and what it means for youThe 4 H’s in your LinkedIn profile that matter mostHow to send connection requests that get acceptedWhat most people do wrong in LinkedIn messaging…and what you can do that worksWays that Janice uses SendOutCards to send personalized cards that don’t get thrown awayCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

How do you become a thought leader and then leverage that position for increased influence and income? My guest Peter Winick knows how. For that past 20 years, Peter has worked with a variety of thought leaders—including authors, speakers, CEOs, and academics—to build their brands. And his results are impressive. In our conversation he shares important do’s and don’ts for achieving such an esteemed position. Peter is the founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, a consulting firm that helps thought leaders leverage their expertise. He applies these same processes to an organization that wants to differentiate and grow its business. Peter is also the host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership Podcast, where he interviews, not surprisingly, thought leaders. I highly recommend his show! You’ll discover: What thought leadership is and how it differs from subject matter expertisePeter’s advice for those who want to develop a reputation as a thought leaderWhy it’s a mistake to claim you’re a thought leaderHow Peter’s company helps clients use leverage to scale their influence and revenueThe impact COVID had on speaking as a thought leader’s key strategy Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you know the factors that most influence your career advancement? My guest Amii Barnard-Bahn is an expert in this area; and in our conversation she reveals the five key elements that impact promotability. Amii and I discuss the one that most leaders underestimate—external awareness—and what you can do to make sure this is not a blind spot for you. Her stories about executives she’s helped are sure to inspire you! Amii is a former Fortune Global 50 executive and now a consultant to the C-Suite at global companies like Adobe and The Gap. She’s recognized by Forbes as one of the top coaches for legal and compliance executives, and she’s a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches. Her latest creations are an assessment called The Promotability Index® and the companion book, The PI Guidebook: How the Promotability Index Can Help You Get Ahead in Your Career.You’ll discover: The 5 key elements of promotabilityWhy so many leaders lack external awareness—and what to do about itHow to build a better relationship with your manager and others who could influence your advancement Practical ideas for requesting feedback to help eliminate your blind spotsWhy relationships are the foundation for getting support for a promotionCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Do you ever struggle with overwhelm and feel stressed? My guest Fran Keogh understands those feelings. She helps clients reduce those negative states by simplifying their decisions and their lives. Fran also “gets” the perfectionism and procrastination that keep someone from achieving the results they seek. In fact, her coaching practice focuses on assisting busy professionals to build a better life in order to have more time, fun, and freedom. Over the years, Fran has reinvented herself multiple times—from radio host, voice-over talent, “domestic goddess” (aka at-home mother of four), alpaca farmer, yoga teacher, health coach, to business life coach and speaker. This is a lively conversation with a very special human being who’s learned many lessons from her varied experiences.You’ll discover: How Fran helps clients identify and work through overwhelmWhat’s behind the fear that often drives usHow to practice mindfulness in your daily lifeWhy Fran does not hesitate to ASK for what she wantsCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

Have you known anyone who went from millionaire to bankrupt to multi-millionaire? That describes the journey of my guest, David Meltzer, Co-founder and CEO of Sports 1 Marketing. We discuss what he’s learned along the way, and why his company today is committed to teaching others to make a lot of money, help a lot of people, and have a lot of fun. You’ll learn about the five daily practices that can assist you in accomplishing these three things on an ongoing basis.Before founding his company, David served as CEO of the renowned Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment Agency, which was the inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. David has been recognized by Variety Magazine as their Sports Humanitarian of the Year. He’s the author of Connected to Goodness, Compassionate Capitalism with Blaine Bartlett, and his latest, Game-time Decision Making. David’s mission in life is to empower OVER 1 BILLION people to be happy! This simple yet powerful mission has led him on an incredible journey to provide one thing…VALUE. In all his content and communication, that’s exactly what you’ll receive, as you’ll see in our conversation.You’ll discover: Why those who love you most aren’t always the best ones to give you career or business adviceThe distinction David makes between things happening to or for him vs through himThe perspective David has about the word “NO” that allows him to welcome each one he getsWhat it means for a leader to be an intelligent followerWhy gratitude is the secret sauce for happiness in lifeCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro