Hart & Hustle Podcast

Angie Manson went from facing 10 years in prison to building one of California's most innovative addiction treatment centers. In this raw conversation, the CEO of Elevate Addiction Services shares how personal struggle became her greatest leadership asset.

Four exam failures. Three young kids. One marriage falling apart. Rachel Watson's path to VP wasn't what anyone expected. In this episode, Efrain discusses how failure redirected Rachel into autism services leadership and why Interactive Kids is building community instead of just treating clients.

Marjorie Kreppel, Owner and Director of The Counseling Center Group, shares how she transformed from marketing executive to mental health entrepreneur—building a 7-state therapy practice that prioritizes patient outcomes over profit. Learn how she's fighting private equity's takeover of mental healthcare while scaling evidence-based treatment.

From top real estate producer to nonprofit founder, Megan Schomer shares how her son's rare brain malformation led her to create Rays for Rare—an organization now serving over 220 families with medically fragile children across Idaho. Learn how she challenged healthcare systems, revolutionized pediatric palliative care, and built a tech-startup approach to nonprofit work that's changing lives.

From answering a newspaper ad to leading 80 locations serving thousands, Jessica Smart's journey into nonprofit leadership proves that passion beats planning. In this episode, Efrain discusses compassion-driven leadership and mission sustainability with Jessica Smart, CEO of Clearbrook. Learn how one leader is transforming care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities acros...

What happens when a healthcare CEO prioritizes culture over everything else? Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of NCH Healthcare System, reveals the unconventional strategies that are transforming healthcare in Southwest Florida.

Most nonprofit leaders believe scaling means sacrificing culture. Rina Barak, CEO of SLEA Therapies, proved them wrong by growing from 150 to 300 employees while earning multiple Best Places to Work awards.

Caroline Whistler, CEO of Third Sector, shares how nonprofits can stop chasing crumbs and start reshaping the trillion-dollar government funding system. Learn why outcomes matter more than outputs and how to become a thought partner instead of just another grantee.

Why do kids from the same neighborhood end up on completely different paths? Colleen Morris Lorber, Founder and CEO of Wraparound Experts, discovered the answer wasn't just about resources—it was about mindset, systems, and having one person who believes in you.

Darren Washausen walked away from a high-paying engineering career to adopt a child—a decision that transformed his life and launched a ministry serving hundreds of vulnerable children across Kentucky. In this episode, Efrain sits down with the President of the Board at Orphan Care Alliance to explore how personal adoption led to systemic change in foster care.

Building a mission-driven business from scratch isn't just about passion—it's about sustainable systems that serve real people. In this episode, Efrain sits down with James Marshall and Ronald Rockwell, co-founders of Inspire Greatness Within, who transformed from frontline social workers into leaders of a thriving organization serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across...

From HIV/AIDS care to pain management to owning her own ABA therapy center—Tamakio Patterson's journey proves that passion and purpose always find a way. In this episode, Efrain sits down with the CEO of Jewel ABA Therapy to discuss building a mission-driven business from scratch, overcoming financial setbacks, and why she opened her home to serve families when everything fell apart.

 From retail CEO to autism care revolutionary—Mike Cairnes built a 14-clinic empire after his son's diagnosis changed everything. In this powerful conversation, the former Michaels President and Kirkland's CEO shares how a personal crisis became purpose, revealing the hidden systems keeping families from critical care and the radical model making therapy accessible. Discover why he walked away fro...

When 90% of your students are Black and Brown, representation isn't just important—it's everything. Adeola Whitney, CEO of Reading Partners, shares how she transformed from pre-med student to leading a national literacy movement serving thousands of students across 14 communities. In this conversation with Efrain, Adeola reveals why authentic leadership matters, how one hour of volunteering can ch...

When 14 teenage boys walked into that group home, Jeremy Kohomban's life changed forever. He went from expecting 1-2 kids during an ROTC training visit to discovering his life's calling—fighting for children in foster care who deserve family, not just placement.

30-50% of foster families quit within their first year. Susan Silverman, CEO of Second Nurture, experienced the foster care system firsthand, growing up with foster siblings, and witnessed the emotional trauma of placement instability. Now she's built a revolutionary community-driven model that's changing how we support foster families across America.

Dr. Teresa Granillo, CEO of AVANCE, Inc., shares how her mother's strength to leave an abusive relationship shaped her leadership philosophy and inspired a 52-year-old organization serving 18,000 families annually. Efrain explores the intersection of personal struggle, authentic leadership, and building early childhood programs that start at birth—not as intervention, but as prevention.

After 41 years of transforming disability services in Alaska, Michele Girault shares the moment that changed everything: when families had to choose between keeping their child or keeping their income. In this powerful conversation, the CEO of Hope Community Resources reveals how one dinner conversation with a governor's wife sparked a policy revolution that transformed family life for thousands o...

Kirk Soileau built Louisiana's largest rural hospital from 57,000 to 225,000 patient encounters in just 11 years - without ever losing sight of the people most healthcare systems forget.

They told her she wasn't CEO material. 34 years later, Dr. Janice Whaley proved them wrong as President and CEO of Donor Network West. In this powerful conversation, Efrain explores how perseverance, authentic leadership, and strategic investments transformed a career rejection into a life-saving mission.

From receiving life-changing support to leading the organization that provided it - Rachel M Banning's journey from Rainbows United client to President is a powerful story of full-circle leadership.

Leon Grundstein, founder and CEO of Gencare Lifestyle, reveals how combining wellness-focused senior living with cutting-edge AI technology is transforming the aging experience. In this episode, Efrain explores Leon's journey from track athlete to pioneering entrepreneur who built the nation's only fully gluten-free certified senior living company.

Molly Ticknor from FosterAdopt Connect reveals the hidden crisis in foster care mental health and how she's building wraparound services that actually work. This conversation between two adoption survivors exposes the year-long wait times for help and the innovative solutions changing everything.

From TV news anchor to nonprofit powerhouse, Cat Randon Stuart is rewriting the disability narrative at Lighthouse Louisiana - where 85% of manufacturing employees are blind or visually impaired and crushing federal production goals. In this powerful conversation, Efrain explores how this 110-year-old organization proves that people with disabilities don't need protection - they need opportunities...

Dr. Sharilyn Ray went over a year without a paycheck while building Restoration Family Services from the ground up. In this powerful conversation, Efrain explores how faith-led leadership transforms child welfare, what it takes to run a mission-driven agency, and why unity matters more than ever in foster care.