Disrupt & Innovate

Scaling a business isn't a technology problem—it's a leadership problem. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Kurt Uhlir, a globally recognized marketer and operator with a massive track record in scaling organizations, to debunk the myths surrounding high-growth business. Kurt explains why most leaders fail when they try to solve scaling challenges with more tools or...

Growth doesn’t always come from more leads. Sometimes it comes from fixing what’s already broken. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Jason Kramer to unpack one of the biggest hidden challenges in business growth: revenue leaks inside the sales process. Jason explains why so many companies chase new prospects while ignoring the leads, clients, and opportunities they...

Healthcare costs are crushing employers—and too many benefit plans are still built around a broken system. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Dan Cosgrove to explore how employers can rethink healthcare benefits to reduce costs, improve employee well-being, and create smarter, more sustainable outcomes for everyone involved. Drawing on his 20-year journey in healthc...

After 180 episodes, countless conversations, and hundreds of insights from founders, creators, executives, innovators, and change-makers, Disrupt & Innovate is entering a new chapter. In this special solo episode, host Lisa L. Levy takes a step back to reflect on the journey that brought the show to this milestone and shares why it's time for an evolution. From the very beginning, the goal has bee...

Outdated business paradigms are failing in a world that demands more flexibility and value than ever before. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Dawn Holly Johnson to discuss the urgent necessity of business evolution and why the traditional 40-hour work week is a relic that no longer serves modern workplace culture.  Dawn brings her extensive experience in organizat...

The real competitive edge in any business isn’t a product or a process—it’s the people. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Nick Stagge to explore the transformative power of a human-centric approach to brand building and marketing. Nick shares his journey from retail management to founding a collective of marketing agencies that prioritize team empowerment and indiv...

Scaling a business doesn’t have to mean hiring full-time staff or carrying unnecessary overhead. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Joanna Zhang, founder of Operation Genius, to explore her innovative fractional VA service model and the deeper impact of soul-aligned leadership. Joanna shares how she reimagined virtual assistants as strategic partners—giving entrepre...

Starting a company is incredibly hard—and it can be incredibly lonely. In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy welcomes Amos Schwartzfarb, founder of RetroCause and a seasoned guide for startups, to break down the essential business frameworks every founder and CEO needs to move from chaos to exponential growth. Amos dives deep into the "math" of business, explaining why your revenue f...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Sara Frasca, former General Mills leader turned entrepreneur and business coach, to explore how organizational clarity fuels innovation, empowers teams, and drives sustainable growth. Sara shares her journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, and what she’s learned about building businesses that actually scale. We dive...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Rupali Kumbhani to discuss the critical importance of mindful implementation of AI and why a human-centric approach is the only way to achieve true organizational change. Rupali breaks down why AI isn't a "magic wand" for broken processes and how rushing into automation without a clear strategy leads to wasted investments. We explo...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy welcomes Bonnie Schutz, founder and CEO of Tandem Resource Solutions, to discuss the ultimate leadership superpower: delegation. Bonnie shares her inspiring entrepreneurial journey from corporate executive assistant to CEO, revealing why so many leaders struggle to let go and how trust and clear communication are the foundations of any successful...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Lori Crooks, founder and CEO of Cadra, to discuss why proactive information security is the only way to build a truly resilient business in today’s digital landscape. Lori shares her entrepreneurial journey and explains why organizations—especially those navigating complex frameworks like CMMC and FedRAMP—must integrate security co...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Donovan Pyle, CEO of Health Compass Consulting, to expose the hidden inefficiencies in employee benefits—and how executives can take back control. Donovan shares a staggering reality: employers spent $1.3 trillion on healthcare benefits last year—and roughly $325 billion of that was waste. He breaks down why traditional benefits br...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Doug C. Brown, a premier sales revenue expert and CEO of Business Success Factors, to discuss the critical link between sales strategies and EBITDA. Doug breaks down why increasing profit margins can often be more impactful for your business valuation than simply chasing higher sales volume. He shares his "truthful goals" philosoph...

In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy welcomes Michael Toguchi, Chief Strategy Officer at eResources, to explore the mindset shifts required to thrive in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape. With over 25 years in nonprofit and education technology, Michael has built smarter systems that have supported more than 5.6 million applications and awarded over $100 million in schol...

What if the fastest path to better culture, higher employee engagement, and lower turnover isn’t another initiative—but better leadership and coaching? In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Dr. Kevin Gazzara, CEO of Magna Leadership Solutions, to unpack what actually drives organizational change from the inside out. With 30 years of industry experience—including 18 years at Intel—Dr. Gazzar...

Are you writing a book just to have one, or are you writing the right book to grow your business? 📚 In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Ally Machate, best-selling author, publishing consultant, and founder of The Writers’ Ally, to discuss the strategic side of nonfiction publishing. Ally explains why a book should be a powerful tool for business growth and how to ensure your message alig...

Are we working remotely… or just stuck in nonstop video calls? In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Erik Braund, founder and CEO of Katmai, to explore the next evolution of digital collaboration—and why the future of remote work must be more human, more spontaneous, and far less meeting-heavy. Erik explains how traditional video conferencing tools haven’t meaningfully evolved in years, and...

Infertility and reproductive health are already emotionally overwhelming—so why has fertility care become so financially complex and inequitable? In this episode of Disrupt & Innovate, Lisa L. Levy welcomes Mary Fusillo, CEO and founder of Family Solutions International, to unpack the hidden costs of infertility care, the realities families face inside fertility clinics, and what it will take to b...

In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with James Ellis to explore the real power of employer branding and why most companies need to completely rethink their recruitment strategies. James breaks down how a clear, differentiated employer value proposition and strong storytelling can transform hiring from “filling seats” into a true driver of business growth. He explains why better applications be...

In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Cheryl Texeira, certified profit acceleration business coach, to break down how service-based entrepreneurs can unlock hidden profits, create market-dominating positions, and scale sustainably. Cheryl explains why understanding your numbers is non-negotiable for CEOs, and how a strategic profit acceleration system—sometimes as little as a 3% improvement...

In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Coby Skonord, founder and CEO of IdeaWake, to talk about bottom-up innovation, employee engagement, and building a true culture of innovation that drives business growth. Coby shares how IdeaWake helps organizations collect, prioritize, and implement ideas from the people closest to the work—the frontline. From quick wins to disruptive ideas that transf...

In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Rion Westfall to unpack the realities facing SMBs and how his “Own Your Revenue” framework and PEPSLIM methodology help business owners stabilize, grow, and sustain their companies.  Rion explains why so many entrepreneurs start with strong skills but limited business acumen, and how that gap leads to chaos, missed opportunities, and early failure. He s...

In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Ted Whetstone, strategic thought partner and executive coach, to unpack the human element in leadership and change management. Ted explores why the true value in any organization lies in its people, not just its processes, and why most change efforts fail when leaders impose instead of invite. He explains the critical difference between commitment to ou...

In this episode, Lisa L. Levy sits down with Simon Holzapfel, co‑founder and CFO of Leaf Lab, to explore how we can better prepare young people for the real future of work—not the one our current systems were built for. Simon shares how Leaf Lab is redefining learning through free, hands-on, real-world experiences that teach students critical skills like value stream mapping, collaboration, and cr...