BizBlend

In this episode of BizBlend, host Sana sits down with Brian Hurtak, Fortune 100 executive and bestselling author of The PlaySheet , to explore how professionals can rise above the noise of endless advice and information overload. Brian reveals how lessons from the sidelines of American football can help us distill complex knowledge into a simple, actionable framework—a personal “play sheet” for li...

Entrepreneurship isn’t just numbers and hustle. In this BizBlend conversation, Sana and guest Caleb Matthews examine the “DNA of Design”—a spirit–mind–body lens for building a business that aligns with purpose without ignoring reality. We unpack skepticism vs. spirituality in leadership, how childhood imprints shape risk-taking, and why curiosity and debate sharpen strategy. If you’re scaling a co...

What can CEOs learn from F-16 fighter pilots? In this BizBlend episode, host Sana and Major Anthony “A.B.” Bourke break down tactical aviation habits you can deploy at work today: briefing/debriefing to accelerate learning, aligning teams to a clear mission, building feedback loops that surface truth without blame, and protecting performance with deliberate recovery. A.B. shares how these practice...

On this episode of BizBlend Podcast, host Sana explores how word-first thinking can eliminate revision churn, sharpen positioning, and speed up shipping. Russell Van Brocklen—“The Dyslexia Professor”—breaks down a practical workflow blending Overcoming Dyslexia -informed neuroscience with The Craft of Research (context → problem → solution), plus smart AI assistance. We cover defining the hero, vi...

Innovation isn’t a headline—it’s a discipline. In this BizBlend episode, host Sana and guest Ryan W. McClellan cut through the noise to define how leaders actually stay ahead of trends without chasing every fad. From pattern recognition and internal idea flow to building simple prototypes and stress-testing assumptions with customers, Ryan lays out a practical playbook. We also unpack mindset—how...

On BizBlend with host Sana, writer–speaker–facilitator Joe Lalley breaks down how unfiltered curiosity unlocks better products, stronger teams, and clearer decisions. Drawing on engagements that include redesigning airline experiences with peers at Google and Cisco—and work with brands like Meta, Pfizer, and JetBlue—Joe shows why organizations stall when questions are filtered, and how to build cu...

In this episode of BizBlend Podcast, host Sana sits down with Harrison Tash, founder of Living Water Consulting and author of Exit Without Leaving . Together, they explore how leaders can align people and processes to achieve sustainable growth—without burning out or becoming the company’s bottleneck. Harrison unpacks his 8 to Great framework, showing why healthy leaders, clear vision, and measura...

In this episode of BizBlend Podcast, host Sana sits down with Blaine Bertsch, seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Dryrun, a financial forecasting platform. Blaine shares how surviving the 2008 recession reshaped his perspective on cash flow forecasting and why clarity around numbers is the lifeline of every business. From avoiding the “pipeline built on dreams” trap to preparing for both downt...

On this episode of BizBlend Podcast with host Sana, we explore how connection is more than networking—it’s about trust, generosity, and building systems that create impact. Guest David Homan—a super connector, philanthropist, composer, and author of the USA Today bestselling book Orchestrating Connection —shares his journey from a humble upbringing to leading global communities of changemakers acr...

On BizBlend, host Sana digs into neurologically informed chiropractic care with Dr. Brian Donovan, founder of NeuroChiropractic in Brooklyn. We go beyond “back cracks” to explore brain–body communication, why tight muscles can be a neurological signal (not a stretching problem), and how entrepreneurs can protect focus, decision-making, and long-term performance. Dr. Donovan explains diagnostics (p...

On this BizBlend episode, we cut through the fluff and get practical about the link between mindset and business results. Award-winning author Kenneth Wyche (Get Your Mind Right) and founder of Life With Ken lays out how leaders can frame decisions, align teams, avoid burnout, and separate the self from the brand without slipping into toxic positivity. We cover actionable mental models for meeting...

On this BizBlend episode, host Sana digs into the real story behind “call 496.” After 495 rejections, entrepreneur Ethan Dowie landed Zappos as Indigo Promotions’ first major client—then parlayed that momentum into work with brands like MGM Resorts, Bloomberg, and MAC Cosmetics. We unpack what it actually takes to keep dialing, how to turn frustration with late shipments and bland swag into a tigh...

On BizBlend with host Sana, Dr. Lizette Warner reframes burnout as a system failure, not a personal flaw. She contrasts “burning out” (being brilliant for too long) with “rusting out” (not challenged enough), then shows leaders how to diagnose stress, regulate their nervous system, and build boundaries that make success sustainable. From breathwork, humming, and micro-movement to using wearables i...

On this BizBlend episode, host Sana cuts through the noise to unpack Mindset Intelligence—the missing link between potential and performance. Former Fortune 100 leader-turned-coach Ana Smith breaks down how beliefs drive thoughts, emotions, actions, and results; why “multitasking” is just task-switching; and how leaders can design systems that protect attention, energy, and outcomes. We get practi...

On this BizBlend episode, host Sana sits down with boldness coach Dr. Onaysia Martinez to unpack what it really takes to believe in a vision before the staircase appears. From being the first Latina doctor in her class to shutting down a profitable clinic, Dr. Martinez breaks down “aligned boldness” versus recklessness, her BOLD Method (Break, Own, Lean, Dominate), and why success without alignmen...

On this BizBlend episode with host Sana, strategist and storyteller Saji Madapat breaks down the hunter vs. farmer mindset and why founders, leaders, and professionals stuck in hustle culture keep chasing the “next kill” instead of tending the “soil” that compounds value over years. Drawing from Fortune 10 boardrooms, global geopolitics, and culture, Saji offers a direct, practical lens for sustai...

On this BizBlend Podcast episode, host Sana and guest Carlee Wolfe unpack the hospitality mindset—a practical approach to customer experience and team culture rooted in presence, curiosity, and generosity. Drawing from roles across hospitality, retail, sport, and education, Carlee shows how “being seen, cared for, and supported” translates into better CX, loyalty, and performance without slowing e...

On this BizBlend Podcast episode, we strip sustainability down to what actually moves the needle: people, habits, and culture. Environmental consultant Andy Ellsmore explains how practical training, on-site decision-making, and leadership alignment turn regulations into results—especially in stormwater compliance across construction and industrial sites. We dig into California’s regulatory landsca...

In this episode of the BizBlend Podcast, host Sana sits down with persuasion expert Patrick van der Burght, a Cialdini Institute–licensed trainer and one of the first certified coaches in ethical persuasion. Together, they explore the seven universal principles of persuasion—reciprocity, liking, unity, social proof, authority, consistency, and scarcity—and why they work across cultures and industr...

On this episode of BizBlend with host Sana, we explore a bold and disruptive idea: what if traditional psychology, personality tests, and engagement surveys aren’t helping employees deliver real value at work? Guest Barry Wolfe, with 35 years in senior HR roles and as a business owner, shares why much of what organizations spend billions on may be built on shaky ground. Instead, he introduces valu...

On this BizBlend episode, host Sana digs into the paradox every founder faces: passion fuels vision, teams, and momentum—yet it can also cloud judgment, block feedback, and slow growth. With guest Richard Levy—an MBA-qualified marketing leader who has built and scaled brands globally at companies including GE, MoneyGram, and OFX—we unpack how to keep your heart in the work while installing the dis...

Leaving a secure family enterprise isn’t a romantic leap—it’s a deliberate choice. In this BizBlend episode, Jason VanDevere breaks down how he walked away from a 9-figure family dealership to build Goal Crazy, sell $1M+ in physical planners in a digital world, grow a real-estate portfolio, and write Dream Driven . We go straight into practical ideation, market validation, pre-selling, running bru...

Business improvement isn’t a slide deck—it’s what happens on the floor, in the inbox, and between teams. In this BizBlend episode, host Sana speaks with Damien Lacey, founder of OE Partners (Melbourne) and co-owner of a steel-shed manufacturing company, to unpack how small, focused changes beat “boil-the-ocean” transformations. Drawing on his three years at Toyota Japan, Damien explains how to spo...

On this BizBlend episode, host Sana cuts through hype to examine a serious business question: can guided psychedelic journeys drive measurable leadership change? Rob & Gary from The Journeymen Collective explain their four-month, high-touch model—screening, luxury in-person facilitation, and three months of integration—to help founders and executives shift patterns, increase clarity, reduce an...

On BizBlend, host Sana talks with leadership strategist and international speaker John Taylor McEntire about trading performative success for embodied purpose. John unpacks how unhealed childhood patterns (perfectionism, people-pleasing) show up in executive roles, why vulnerability strengthens authority, and how his SYNC Method—Synchronize Yourself Naturally within your Community—helps leaders mo...