Daily Influence

In this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno welcomes Moyra Gorski, a passionate advocate for health, joy, and sustainable wellness. A retired nurse turned wellness entrepreneur, Moyra shares her transformative journey—starting from her son's chronic health struggles to becoming a leader in the holistic health space. Moyra opens up about pivotal moments, including her personal...

In Episode 421 of Daily Influence and the I in Team Series, Brian Smith dives deep into the art of SMART Decision Making. He reveals how accurate, relevant, and actionable data can be integrated with seasoned experience and refined intuition to shape breakthrough leadership. Explore actionable strategies to convert past learnings into insightful, intuitive decision-making and discover how harmoniz...

In this heartwarming episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno reconnects with her lifelong friend, Ivy Sukenik, the Principal of Sunset Ridge School. From their shared experiences at overnight camp to Ivy’s unexpected journey into education, they explore the power of authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, and the evolving challenges facing today’s students and educators. Ivy sha...

Many business leaders throw around the term scaling without fully understanding the risks involved. Scaling isn’t just about growing fast—it’s about growing smart. In today’s episode of The Daily Influence, we break down the crucial difference between growth and scaling, why rapid expansion without the right infrastructure can lead to failure, and how to apply S.M.A.R.T. Management principles to s...

In this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Joyce Shulman—coach, author, and business igniter—who helps women navigate the intersection of personal and professional growth. Joyce shares insights from her entrepreneurial journey, from launching businesses in consumer products and media to creating impactful wellness brands. She introduces her 10 Touch Strategy, a pow...

In Episode 417 of Daily Influence, Brian Smith challenges leaders to break free from the confines of groupthink and the echo chamber. Drawing on insights from The I in Team Series and the power of SMART communication, Brian reveals practical strategies to identify and disrupt homogeneous thinking. Learn how to foster a culture that champions diverse perspectives, constructive dissent, and empowere...

In this episode of Daily Influence, we sit down with Nikki Lubing, the founder of Skillabration, a platform dedicated to empowering children and families through creative learning experiences. Nikki shares her inspiring journey from teaching in the public school system to launching her own business, helping students build confidence, curiosity, and essential life skills. She discusses the importan...

Contradiction is the silent killer of credibility. In today’s episode, Brian Smith shares a powerful real-world example from his recent experience at a high-profile restaurant and how it highlights the dangers of inconsistency in leadership. When words and actions don’t align, trust erodes, culture suffers, and organizations weaken. Brian breaks down how leaders can avoid this trap by embracing SM...

In this inspiring episode of Daily Influence, we welcome Leslie Randolph, the Confidence Coach for Girls, who is on a mission to help young women embrace their strengths and lead with self-assurance. Leslie shares her journey from a childhood dream of changing the world to becoming a sought-after coach, TEDx speaker, and advocate for positive self-talk. We dive into the power of bestie vs. bully b...

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith explores the root cause of motivation and how understanding the "why" behind our objectives can transform the way we set goals, develop strategies, and implement tactics. He discusses how applying root cause analysis—a method often used for problem-solving—can help leaders and teams align their efforts intentionally rather than reactively. Br...

In this inspiring episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Alexa DePaolo, a driven professional whose journey from struggle to success is a testament to resilience, leadership, and the power of responsible influence. Alexa shares her incredible story of breaking free from the cycle of financial hardship, betting on herself, and building a career rooted in mentorship, integrit...

In Episode 411 of The Daily Influence, Brian Smith delves into the powerful distinction between change and improvement. While not all change leads to progress, all genuine improvement requires change. Drawing from The I in Team Series and SMART Management principles, Brian shares how intentional, purpose-driven improvements can create lasting impact in both personal and professional spheres. Learn...

In this inspiring episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Leslee Cohen, Managing Partner at All Rise Legal Counsel, to explore her extraordinary journey from aspiring diplomat to distinguished attorney. Leslee shares her insights on building a thriving law practice that champions collaboration, empathy, and flexibility, especially for women in the legal field. Listen as...

In this episode of Daily Influence, Brian Smith sits down with Jill Simonds, Founder and CEO of Savvy Strategic Partners. Jill shares how fractional executives provide expert leadership without the full-time commitment, helping businesses achieve sustainable growth and freedom. They dive into how intentional influence aligns organizations with long-term visions while balancing short-term goals. Ji...

In this inspiring episode of Daily Influence, Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Mara Heichman, a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP). Mara shares her journey from occupational therapy to empowering individuals through her coaching practice, Discover Your Potential. Tune in as Mara discusses her unique approach to mindset mastery, energy lead...

In this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno sits down with Jill Salzman, a dynamic entrepreneur, author, TEDx speaker, and former podcast host recognized as a Forbes Top 100 Champion Small Business Influencer. Jill shares her incredible journey from managing bands and starting a baby jewelry business to founding and successfully selling The Founding Moms, a global community for mo...

In Episode 406 of The Daily Influence, Brian S. Smith dives into the complexities of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in today's America. He discusses how individual influence can rebuild perceptions of freedom and fairness while navigating the divisive landscape of recent changes in policies. Brian emphasizes the importance of tolerance, ethical leadership, and unbiased decision-making...

Being situationally aware is more than knowing your surroundings. It's knowing yourself and those people in your area of influence to a point where you support them.  Being aware takes focus and (i)individuals that are situationally aware provide opportunities and advantages within their area of influence to be best-self.

Earning respect can take a lifetime; losing respect can take a moment.   We are going to dive into the issue of respect and how important it is in our ability to be effective (I)individuals.  

Consistency in what we do can be another subjective aspect in our lives; be consistent in bad behavior or good and see what the consequences may be.  We will unpack being consistent and how we can work (I)individually to maintain consistency through all aspects of (I)individualism.  

Understanding what accountability is should be a mandatory lesson for everyone. There are two types, internal (self) accountability and outsourced accountability. And the understanding of what these mean and how they can be positive - negative and neutral - is important to being an amazing (I)individual. 

It's fitting that we would be diving into one of the cornerstones of our work this week on the anniversary of 9/11 -  Individualism.  9/11 defined for me the power of true (I)individualism, where the best individuals combined to be our best in situations all across our country.   Understanding the power of being best-self so when combined with other best-self individuals, we create a best-self...

In this milestone episode 400 of the Daily Influence, Brian Smith dives into why the shift from "goals" to "SMART objectives" is essential for achieving meaningful progress. Explore how objectives provide clarity, accountability, and measurable success while avoiding the pitfalls of abstract goals. Discover actionable steps to create SMART objectives that resonate with the principl...

In Episode 399 of the Daily Influence, Brian S. Smith delves into the evolving landscape of remote and hybrid work. He explores the challenges organizations face, from siloed employees to accountability issues, and presents the S.M.A.R.T. Management framework as the solution. Discover how to balance flexibility with accountability, foster trust-driven leadership, and build meaningful team connecti...

Empathy is the ability to recognize, categorize, and understand the emotions another person is feeling and then respond in a way that makes the experience comforting for everyone in that particular area of influence.  Key takeaways is understanding empathy in your area of influence.  Learning how to utilize empathy as an individual and a leader.  Learning that empathy is not acceptance but is unde...