High Octane Leadership

Deanna Singh has been researching, designing and building solutions to complex social challenges for the last 20 years, but she was born into diversity, equity and inclusion work. As founder of Flying Elephant , a holding company for social impact companies, Deanna is on a mission to build innovative opportunities for underserved communities. In this episode, hear how DEI has impacted her life, ho...

What started as Lindsay Wrege’s school project has turned into her full-time job. Her nonprofit, 321 Coffee , is dedicated to creating an equitable employment space for adults with developmental disabilities.  In this episode, hear why inclusion has been important to Lindsay throughout her life and her dreams for 321. Plus, hear Donald answer some of her questions as she navigates being a young le...

Veronica Kirin scaled and sold her own tech company, and she went through the 70 hour work weeks and a lot of burnout in the process. Now, she coaches startup CEOs and small business owners, who she calls “empire builders,” and helps them scale their own businesses without pushing them past their 24-hour human limit.  In this episode, hear Veronica and Donald talk about how small enterprise owners...

Just before turning 30, Jeffrey Hawting was an ordained priest traveling from Australia to America to study, but he never went home. After leaving the priesthood, his friend helped him find a job selling office products to the federal government, many of which were made by companies with blind employees. One of those companies was LCI , and that company recruited Jeffrey. Now, he’s LCI’s CEO, and...

I've been CEO of The Diversity Movement for one year, and in that time I've had some amazing conversations with clients, partners, and team members.  We've grown and we've learned, and here are some of my reflections from year one. The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West CEO, The Diversity Movement CEO, mentor, investor, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Donald Thompson . Music for...

Recent research from Edelman reveals that trust is at a low in 2021. Individuals are not trusting their governments, CEOs or nonprofit organizations. And in a world still suffering from racial injustice but beginning to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, trust is key to our overall success. In this solo episode, Donald shares actionable steps we can take to build trust as leaders in our organizat...

With over 2 million podcasts available, why would it make sense for anyone to start a new one and try to filter through all the noise?  As Earfluence CEO Jason Gillikin explains, it's not about making viral hits. Podcasting for business is about networking, building a content engine, and amplifying your expertise. His advice? "Just Press Record." The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West...

As the CEO of NC IDEA , Thom Ruhe is on a mission to strengthen North Carolina’s economy through grants and programs for our state’s entrepreneurs with a commitment that no less than 50% of their total time, treasure and talent will support underserved communities, defined as minority, female or rural—and obviously any combination thereof. Recently, the organization has created the North Carolina...

Donald Thompson says that being a former athlete can make you a better entrepreneur, and James Chapman is no exception. Having played basketball throughout his entire childhood, the founder and CEO of Plain Sight , a mobile app for networking with like-minded people in virtual and physical spaces, is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for helping others achieve their goals, too.   In this episod...

Kayla Merriweather is a powerhouse. A senior at New York University, she’s in the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, concentrating in History and Place through a Black Feminist Lens with a Minor in Spanish. She’s a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholar, a Resident Assistant and the President for the Black Student Union.    In summary, she’s wicked smart and an example of the type of leaders we...

In Durham, N.C., Leonardo Williams and his wife, Chef Zweli, own one of two Zimbabwean restaurants in the country - Zweli's . Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s had to make several innovations and pivots to keep his small business running, but he’s never given up. After partnering with Summit Church to allocate extra food to the his community, he realized the power in connecting individuals fr...

Companies hire Will Barfield to fill positions with diverse, qualified employees, not only white men like him. He says that, by being intentional in making sure candidates from all backgrounds are considered, his clients have inclusive and effective teams. In this episode, Will and Donald discuss why having these teams—and surrounding yourself with individuals different from you—is so important an...

Before his family moved from Greece to America, Pryon ‘s Igor Jablokov didn’t have electricity in his home—no TV, no radio, no technology. But when he got his first computer, he found his passion. He began a career in artificial intelligence, and he was confused as to why the technology available to him in his lab wasn’t available to everyone else. “No one is going to want a listening device in th...

We are taking a quick break from your regularly scheduled weekly episode so we can share with you a new podcast. On First Check, Venture Capitalist Tim McLoughlin ( Cofounders Capital ) is taking lessons learned and his expertise in investing to level up current investors and get future investors ready to write their First Check. Donald Thompson is the first guest, and we’re sharing just a few min...

Substantial Media, LLC. is on a mission to amplify positive stories within Black and Brown communities. By letting creativity run free, their contributors create multimedia content that brings attention to important issues at local, state and national levels.   That kind of vision deserves recognition and support, so DT has devoted himself to Substantial's mission by joining them as an investor an...

In this solo episode, Donald reflects on what Black History Month means to him, what CEOs should share during this month regardless of their political beliefs, and why he's investing in a new company that's focused on amplifying the true superheroes of our communities. The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West CEO, mentor, investor, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Donald Thompson ,...

While there are no longer laws that segregate our country, Ken Lewis has noticed something - the corporate boardrooms don't look much different than what they did in the 1950's.  Find out what we can do to change that. Ken Lewis has been a practicing attorney for 33+ years, and represents clients in mergers, acquisitions, and sales of businesses, and in the formation of strategic alliances at Nexs...

JouleBug CEO Grant Williard is on a mission to make sustainability both fun and profitable. For starters, saving the planet is as simple as following your grandma's advice. Download the JouleBug app | in the Apple Store | on Google Play The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West CEO, mentor, investor, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Donald Thompson . Music for this episode provided...

Sepi Saidi immigrated to this country as a female, in the south, in a male-dominated field (engineering), coming from one of the most polarizing countries in the world.  She shouldn't have had a chance. And yet, this May she'll celebrate 20 years at her company SEPI, Inc - a company that now has over 200 employees in 7 locations. Find out how she did it and what her giveback is. The Donald Thompso...

In Keith Pigues' book, Winning with Customers , he poses the question, "Do your customers make more money doing business with you?"  When Keith asks that of his consulting clients at Luminas Strategy , that simple question rocks their world and quickly spotlights what needs to be changed.  Today, Keith talks to DT about being a leader, building companies with a focus on diversity and inclusion, an...

What is the role of the Raleigh Chamber in affecting vulnerable communities in the Triangle?  What about diversity and inclusion? Economic development? Education? Transportation?   The leader of the Chamber - CEO Adrienne Cole - joins the Donald Thompson Podcast to explain its mission. The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West CEO, mentor, investor, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant...

John Murphy is an executive coach who thrives on building winning teams and making the most out of his clients' careers.  Today he talks about the fallacy of time management, why you need to win in the job you're in, and why an Irishman living in France is helping clients in North Carolina. John's Podcasts: Winning Teams A Life and a Living The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West CEO, m...

Creative Allies CEO Amie Thompson is a natural introvert who has developed into a leader. She's a natural workaholic who has learned how to delegate while allowing others to fail. And in 2020, she has led Creative Allies through the pandemic to offer a more well-rounded small business solution package to their clients.  Oh, and she's Donald's sister (which means you'll want to stick around to the...

On this solo episode, Don reflects on the tension and chaos of 2020, and gives tips on how to make 2021 explosive (in a good way). The Donald Thompson Podcast is hosted by Walk West CEO, mentor, investor, and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Donald Thompson . Music for this episode provided by Jensen Reed from his song, “You Can’t Stop Me”. The Donald Thompson Podcast is edited and produced by E...

Ryan Vet started his entrepreneurial journey as a 9-year-old selling newspapers. But not a paper route - his OWN newspapers that he created, printed, and distributed.  Since then Ryan has started everything from coffee shops to technology companies, and he's had time to be a podcaster, speaker, and author.  His accomplishments are impressive, but at 31, his career is just getting started. Cracking...