Daily Influence

Talking about death can feel uncomfortable, but avoiding the conversation can leave families making difficult decisions during a crisis without knowing what their loved one truly wanted. On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Sandi Bianchi, an end-of-life doula, founder of Shepherd U Home, and co-founder of the Chicago Death Doula Collective. Sandi explains how de...

In this revisit to Episode 520 of The Daily Influence, Brian Smith challenges the reactive mindset of desperate hiring and invites leaders to embrace a more intentional, values-based approach. He explores how rushed hiring decisions can erode your organizational culture and how responsible influence starts with knowing your values—and the true value of every role. Brian shares practical insights f...

In this revisit to Episode 515 of the Daily Influence, Brian explores the powerful—but sometimes conflicting—forces of analytics and gut instinct in leadership and decision-making. He breaks down why relying too much on either can lead to poor choices, missed opportunities, or burnout—and shares how integrating both leads to responsible, authentic leadership. Whether you’re overwhelmed by data or...

What separates effective leaders when circumstances are difficult, trust has been lost, and every decision seems urgent? In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno talks with Gigi Fergus, healthcare executive, transformational leader, and founder of Memorable Care, about leading through organizational change, rebuilding trust, creating accountability, and making better decisions under...

Join Brian Smith from the I in Team Series with this revisit to episode 234 of The Daily Influence as he delves into the critical role of data analytics in shaping strategic decisions and tactical development. In this insightful episode, Brian underscores the importance of understanding and leveraging key metrics beyond just sales and bank balances to drive organizational growth and efficiency. Di...

Artificial intelligence can improve how organizations operate but technology should support human judgment, not replace human responsibility. In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno talks with Dylan Reid, President of Dylan Reid Media, about responsible AI leadership, healthcare, organizational culture, and the role accountability plays when adopting new technology. Dylan explains...

Toxic behavior in the workplace isn’t always easy to spot—and it doesn’t always come from poor performers. In this revisit to episode 517 of The Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores the nuances of toxic employees, defining what toxicity looks like beyond performance metrics. He discusses the importance of emotional intelligence, feedback culture, and structured remediation rooted in SMART communi...

In this revisit to Episode 282 of The Daily Influence podcast, Brian S. Smith delves into the critical topic of building a high-trust work environment. Discover why fostering transparency, accountability, and empathy within your organization can lead to a culture where innovation thrives, teams collaborate effortlessly, and everyone contributes to continuous improvement. Drawing on insights from T...

Strong workplace cultures aren’t created through slogans or one-time initiatives. They are built through the small, intentional actions leaders repeat every day. In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with educator, executive leader, author, and TEDx speaker Alicia Hughes about how caring for people can produce measurable organizational results. Alisha shares the leadership...

In this revisit to episode 194 of Daily Influence discuss how most of us look for a way to resolve issues for immediate gratification, of either self or others being negatively influenced by an issue. This will sometimes get us moving out of and through some issues, however if we don't quickly understand the root cause of issues, they will resurface and often, if not most of the time, cause de...

How can you quiet your inner critic, stop overthinking, and take meaningful action? On this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with psychologist, life coach, author, and The Present Coach creator Dr. Pamela Garcy about the connection between self-influence and the influence we have on others. Dr. Pam explains how automatic thoughts shape our emotions, choices, and behaviors, of...

What happens in the space between something going wrong and how you respond? On Episode 833 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith sits down with Crystal Rowland, founder of Path to Serenity Consulting, to explore what she calls the “wisdom pause” — the intentional space we create before allowing stress, frustration or someone else's emotions to determine what happens next. Drawing from Stoicism, Bud...

In this revisit to episode 358 of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith delves into the critical importance of aligning company values with day-to-day operations. Drawing insights from The I in Team Series and IA Business Advisors' S.M.A.R.T. Management System, Brian shares how to integrate core values into every aspect of your organization—from individual contributions to team dynamics and operati...

AI adoption is not primarily a technology problem it is a people problem. In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg Koleno speaks with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, behavioral scientist, bestselling author, CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and author of The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work: From Resistance to Results. Dr. Gleb explains why many workplace AI initiatives stall even when the technology work...

We rarely notice it, but influence is with us constantly—like breathing. In this revisit to episode 512, Brian Smith unpacks how influence operates as a continuous, often unconscious force in our lives. From body language to internal dialogue, we're always broadcasting—and always receiving. Learn how building self-awareness helps you better manage the influence you have on others and what’s in...

Can one small act of kindness really change a life or even the world? In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Kevin Smith, founder and Chief Kindness Chaser of Kindness Worldwide, to explore how one stranger’s decision to return his lost wallet sparked a global mission to create a culture of kindness. What began as Kevin’s desire to recognize one person for doing the...

In this revisit to episode 298 of The Daily Influence, Brian Smith dives into one of the most significant challenges facing modern teams: how to bridge the generational gap using technology. As organizations grow increasingly diverse in age, older generations may feel left behind by the tech-savvy younger workforce. Brian explores how leveraging collaboration tools like Slack, project management p...

In this revisit to episode 296 of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith PhD explores the critical role that emotional resilience plays in leadership. He shares how resilient leaders are not just emotionally intelligent, but also capable of navigating challenges with calmness and stability. Learn how to manage stress, setbacks, and unforeseen challenges without letting emotions negatively impact your te...

Burnout rarely happens all at once. More often, it builds slowly through constant stress, sleepless nights, neglected self-care, and the pressure to keep pushing—even when your body and relationships are telling you something needs to change. In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Lori Lea, founder of Lori Lea Healing Hopes, to explore her journey from more than 20...

What happens when achieving success is no longer enough? On this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith sits down with Tony Holland, CEO of Global Premier Benefits, Managing Partner at Integrity Marketing Group, entrepreneur, investor, youth coach and minority owner of the Baltimore Orioles. Tony’s journey began far from where he is today. Raised by a teenage single mother in a difficult home env...

What does it take to become more visible in business without losing sight of who you are? In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Jennifer Anderson, founder of Jen Anderson Fit Life and a self-described professional wing woman, to explore how entrepreneurs and professionals can build confidence, strengthen their visibility, create meaningful relationships, and pursue...

What happens after you achieve the success you’ve been working toward? In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith challenges us to look beyond the next goal, promotion, client, dollar, or accomplishment and consider a different question: What are you doing with what you’ve already built? Success gives us more than achievement. Along the way, we accumulate experience, relationships, knowledge,...

Success can hide a lot of problems. When revenue is growing, customers are happy, and opportunities keep coming through the door, it’s easy to assume the organization is working exactly as it should. But what happens when good people are compensating for bad processes? When critical knowledge lives in someone’s head? When the founder is still holding together things that should have become systems...

What does it take to become a leader whose influence creates trust, clarity, and meaningful action? In this episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Kurt Luidhardt, founder of Liberty Spenders and president of The Prosper Group, to explore how intentional leadership and effective communication shape businesses, teams, families, and communities. Drawing on more than 20 years o...

What happens when everything in your organization becomes urgent? Every email needs an immediate response. Every new idea becomes the next priority. Every problem becomes a fire—and eventually, people stop managing priorities and start managing interruptions. In Episode 820 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores the hidden organizational cost of constant urgency and the responsibility leaders ha...