The Ambition Lab

What can 30 years on both sides of the red pen teach us about creativity, communication, and building a lasting career? In this episode, Louise Harris shares lessons from decades as an editor, journalist, author, and founder of LAST Research & Editing. We talk about editing thousands of manuscripts, writing historical fiction, overcoming creative doubt, and why great writing is built through revis...

What can decades behind the curtain of Broadway teach us about leadership? In this episode, Teri Pruitt shares lessons from her years working behind Wicked and other major Broadway productions, revealing how trust, adaptability, preparation, and real-time problem-solving keep a constantly changing team performing at its best. Connect with Teri Pruitt: Teri Pruitt's Website⁠ Teri Pruitt on LinkedIn...

What if the most dangerous deception is the kind that sounds like truth? In this episode, Jason C. Johnson Sr. shares how being misled early in his Christian journey led him to develop a practical framework for biblical discernment. We discuss subtle deception, testing teachings against Scripture, and why every believer needs to develop the ability to recognize truth for themselves. Show Notes Con...

What if the secret to growing your business on LinkedIn isn't visibility but trust? In this episode, Daniel Alfon shares what more than 20 years on LinkedIn has taught him about building meaningful relationships, generating business without cold outreach, and becoming referable instead of simply visible. We discuss why chasing followers and impressions can be a distraction, how to build a LinkedIn...

The Gut Heart Connection: What Your Doctor Wants You to Know About Supplements What if your heart health is connected to something you rarely think about the bacteria living in your gut? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Dr. Bilal Ahmed, interventional and structural cardiologist and co-founder of Lylah Health, to explore the science behind the gut heart connection. Bilal...

A polished brand isn't always a clear brand. In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Teaira Abston, founder of Dreamcatcher Creative Studio, to explore why clarity not just design can be the difference between being noticed and being chosen. Teaira shares how she moved from designing wedding stationery to helping businesses build stronger brands, messaging, positioning, and syst...

What happens when a comedian decides to build her own stage? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Leanne Linsky, comedian, entrepreneur, and founder of Plauzzable, a virtual comedy platform built by a comedian, for comedians. Leanne shares how a 2019 experiment with online open mics evolved into a business, what entrepreneurship taught her about creativity, and how technology...

What happens when leadership quietly undermines the culture it's trying to build? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Matinah Drew, founder and CEO of Noble Hearts HR Consulting & Staffing, to explore leadership, workplace culture, retention, accountability, empathy, and the growing role of AI in HR. Matinah shares practical insights on recognizing unhealthy workplace cultur...

What happens when ambition outpaces your health? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Victor Dedaj, Certified Naturopathic Practitioner, Wholistic Health Coach, speaker, and co author of Success Breakthroughs with Jack Canfield. Victor explains why sustainable success requires more than the right mindset it requires a body capable of supporting the life you're trying to build...

What does it really mean to lead with a servant’s heart? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Kevin Wayne Johnson, leadership expert, author, executive coach, and founder of The Johnson Leadership Group. Kevin shares lessons from decades of leadership across government, business, ministry, and education and explains why true leadership is built on service, character, accounta...

What if the best way to build a strong culture isn't another policy manual but a story people remember? In this episode, Wisdom sits down with Tom Fox, founder of the Compliance Podcast Network, author of 30+ books, and known as The Compliance Evangelist. They explore why storytelling can transform compliance culture, the inspiration behind Tom's children's books, the power of podcasting, reinvent...

What if creativity could become a way to survive? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Brett Ashby, an internationally recognised contemporary, public, and performance artist whose unconventional approach involves painting while riding a skateboard. But Brett's story goes far beyond the art. After surviving cancer, he began exploring how movement, creativity, and storytelling...

Leadership isn't about having a title. It's about giving people a reason to trust you, believe in you, and choose to follow. In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Larry Robertson, leadership advisor, author of WHY listen to, work with and follow YOU?, and former British Army officer. Larry grew up in the Scottish Highlands, trained at Sandhurst, served in the British Army, bui...

What if the biggest cybersecurity risk in your company isn't sitting in the server room but in the boardroom? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Ioannis Antypas, a tech entrepreneur, #1 bestselling author, educator, and cybersecurity and AI leader who has spent more than 12 years working across Saudi Arabia, the GCC, Greece, and the UK. He has taught more than 34,000 profes...

this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with Albert Butler, CPA, MBA, Forbes Best-In-State CPA, author of LIFE: Truth, Love, Loss, Success & Failure, and creator of the Legacy Alignment System. After more than 25 years as a CPA and business advisor, Albert has learned that financial statements are about far more than revenue, expenses, and taxes. The numbers reveal priorities, habits, d...

What happens when you refuse to put yourself in just one box? In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Wisdom sits down with ST Tangirala, Co Founder & COO of Sobo, host of The Next In Time Podcast, entrepreneur, technology leader, and author. ST has built a career across business, technology, storytelling, and leadership and his journey offers a powerful lesson: success isn't just about having great...

Your career doesn't have to end when you retire. Kirk McCarley, also known as The Seed Sower Coach, joins The Ambition Lab to share how he turned 35 years in HR into a new chapter of coaching, writing, cycling, and service—and why purpose doesn't have an expiration date. Connect with Kirk McCarley: Website: https://theseedsowercoach.com/⁠ Author Website: https://kirkmccarleyauthor.com/⁠ LinkedIn:...

Creativity isn't something you lose—you forget. Patrick Williams, founder of Satori Innovation, joins The Ambition Lab to explore creative colonization, creative collapse, martial arts, and how we can reconnect with the creativity we've always had. Connect with Patrick Williams: Website: https://patrickwilliamsstaycreative.com/⁠ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-michael-williams⁠ Insta...

Vicki Noethling joins The Ambition Lab to share lessons from more than 40 years of leadership, coaching, speaking, and mentoring. We talk about leadership confidence, emotional intelligence, communication, networking, and what it really means to lead with heart, head, and hands. Connect with Vicki Noethling Website: Find Your Leadership Confidence⁠ Podcast: Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast...

What can trekking through Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, working with women in rural communities, and decades in financial planning teach us about money? Amanda Cassar is a financial adviser, family business leader, and financial abuse specialist who believes money is about far more than numbers. In this episode of The Ambition Lab, we explore financial independence, family wealth, financial...

What happens when the founder who built the company becomes the very thing preventing it from growing? Maria Trysla is a two-time SaaS CEO with exits who now helps growth-stage companies turn unpredictable growth into predictable revenue. In this episode of The Ambition Lab, we explore why founder-led sales can become a bottleneck, how to build a scalable revenue architecture, and why a company ca...

What happens when the thing that once terrified you becomes the medium for your art? Caroline White nearly drowned multiple times growing up around water. Today, she's an underwater and personal branding photographer who helps people feel seen through vulnerability, movement, and cinematic imagery. In this episode of The Ambition Lab, Caroline shares how she transformed her fear of water into art,...

What happens when business growth starts pulling you away from the reason you started? Jocelynn Flowers, founder of J. Flowers Marketing, joins The Ambition Lab to talk about building businesses with both structure and soul . We explore intentional growth, authentic marketing, human connection, and why the strongest brands don't just chase attention—they build genuine connections. Jocelynn also sh...

For decades, childhood obesity has been treated as a simple matter of eating less and exercising more. Dr. Evan Nadler challenges that narrative with two decades of experience treating children and researching the biology behind obesity. We discuss genetics, the biological weight set point, why the traditional approach falls short, what parents often misunderstand, and how modern treatments are ch...

What if your hardest seasons are revealing a strength you never knew you had? Sue Paulson joins The Ambition Lab to share how divorce, bankruptcy, a near death experience, and cancer transformed the way she sees life, purpose, and personal growth. We talk about finding meaning in adversity, awakening to your own magnificence, and moving forward when life feels like it's falling apart. Connect with...