Avad: The Seeds of Leadership

I sat down with Stephany Luithly for a conversation on grief, motherhood, and what it looks like to keep moving forward after loss. Stephany is a wife, mom, and author of A Collection of William . After a miraculous and hope-filled 97 days, her first baby William passed away. She shares what that journey has looked like, how writing became a way to process it, and how it deepened an already strong...

Benjamin Suyematsu joins Jeremy for a practical conversation about how leadership is shaped through family, lived experience, and personal responsibility rather than titles alone. They discuss influence versus authority, the role of follow-through in building trust, and how credibility is formed through consistent action over time. They also explore nature versus nurture, observing before leading,...

This episode comes at a time when many New Year’s goals start to feel harder to sustain. In this episode, I walk through the Servant Growth Framework , a simple four-phase approach built around Identity, Alignment, Resilience, and Impact . Rather than relying on motivation alone, the framework starts with who you are becoming, how that shows up in daily rhythms, and how growth is meant to extend b...

Knoxville senior and multi-sport athlete Regan “Reggie” Roberts joins Jeremy to talk optimism that holds up under pressure, what a winning culture looks like in the good and the hard days, and how to handle noise from the cheap seats. We get into his experience performing in Matilda with K-ACT (Knoxville Area Community Theatre) and what that taught him about encouragement and showing up for people...

Jeremy sits down once again with a familiar voice, Nicolas, founder of Hoksey Native Seeds and host of The Prairie Farm Podcast . Nicolas is known for his authenticity, local impact, and big-picture thinking, and this conversation delivers all of that and more. Together they explore what integrity looks like in real life, from setting healthy boundaries in close friendships to asking hard question...

What if the secret to sustainable leadership isn't rapid growth or complex strategy, but quiet consistency, deep respect, and doing the right thing when no one is watching? In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Dr. Formanek, a trusted Knoxville chiropractor and 36-year business owner, to explore the simple and often overlooked truths behind long-term impact. They talk about the value of showi...

This episode takes a step back from interviews and stories from others. Jeremy shares a personal reflection on the early stages of launching Avad Consulting and what the journey has taught him so far. From navigating uncertainty and self-doubt to finding clarity in faith and authenticity, these lessons offer a look behind the curtain of building a business from the ground up. While the themes are...

Jeremy sits down with his longtime mentor Joe LaCount , Founder and Principal Consultant of North Star Coaching and Consulting. They dig into what it really takes to lead change that respects people and delivers results. In this episode People first, then process: Why respect for people is the foundation of every improvement, and how to treat the next operation as your customer Measurement that ma...

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Matt Van Sant , Worship & Youth Leader at Celebrate Church. Matt shares how his early love for music turned into a lifelong place of leadership, and what he’s learned about showing up with humility, leaning into discomfort, and believing in people. The conversation explores: What it means to lead when others have more life experience Why deeply believing...

Stephen Gnidovec is the founder of Great Lakes Analytics , a consulting firm that helps leaders and teams use data to make better decisions. He is also the author of The Data Culture Handbook , his new book on how organizations can build healthier relationships with data. In this episode, we talk about the practical side of data: dashboards, KPIs, and how to avoid "report purgatory." Steph...

In this episode, we talk with Jennie Koenig and Emily Caulkins, co-founders of Pleasantville Youth Initiative, a nonprofit focused on creating space for kids to be themselves and experience everyday life together in a small-town community. We talk about how they approach ministry without pressure, how they listen to what the community actually needs, and how they're stepping into a building pr...

Jeremy answers two listener questions: how to spot low-hanging inefficiencies in a business, and how to keep services affordable as prices rise. He shares thoughts on leveraging your P&L, going to the Gemba, and aligning strategy with what your customer truly values. He also unpacks the story behind the free B2H Field Guide and previews a new tool in progress: the Organizational Maturity Index...

Wade Daniel joins us for Episode 3, and it's a good one. We talk entrepreneurship, red flag clients, standard work, and Wade’s leap from running a thriving GC business to full-time ministry with Twelve21 Global. Plus, my brother Kennedy (our podcast editor) jumps into the live chat with sharp questions in our first remote episode.

Todd Chambers, owner of McKay Group Insurance, is a well-connected Iowa native known for his generosity and deep investment in the community. We talk about “burning the ships,” parenting, digital notepads, leadership, going to the Gemba, and why investing where you live matters. Intro music by Ken, The Admin – check out more of his work: https://linktr.ee/kentheadmin

Nicolas Lirio is a business, real estate, and community leader with a heart for people and Jesus. In this first episode of Seeds of Leadership, we talk about flipping houses, minimizing waste, building strong habits, knowing your numbers, and leading with purpose. Nicolas also shares his favorite leaders—both historical and local—and offers advice for anyone starting a podcast or building somethin...